Great Expectations

by RachelDemented

A (long) involved story that leads to one relationship's demise and another's beginning (includes all characters)

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

CHAPTER 1: EXCUSE ME, MR. LEERY

"I love you, Dawson," Joey Potter looked into Dawson's eyes, a big smile spread across her lips.

"I love you too," Dawson kissed her. He pulled back, looking into her face.

"That was nice, do it again," She said with a twinkle in her eye. He kissed her again, a little longer this time.

"How was that?"

"I think I can do better…" Joey wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his mouth to hers. She kissed him back, a very soft, very gentle but long kiss.

"I think that was better!" Laughed Dawson. He hugged her tightly, smelling her hair. It smelled good, like citrus. It was very sexy. She was very sexy, he thought. "So am I going to walk you to school tomorrow?"

"No, I'm going to go in early, so I'll just meet you there."

"Okay," Dawson stepped back. It was late evening. They were standing on her porch. It was dark and the air around them was very cool. A dewy mist filled the yard. The moon and stars shed the only light over Capeside.

He held her hand and would not let go. He was so happy. He hadn't felt this good in such a long time.

"I should go inside," Joey looked away, shyly.

"Yeah, I just want to look at you one more time tonight." Dawson thought she was beautiful as she fidgeted there on the front steps.

"Okay, okay!" She laughed, "I really have to go inside. I have to get some sleep!"

"All right," he said, holding his gaze on her.

"Dawson, you're making me feel self-conscious," She flashed him a smile, then looked at her feet, then up at him again.

"Okay, Joey, I'm going. I'll meet you at lunch tomorrow so we can study."

"Sounds good," She stepped forward and put her arms around him. She kissed him again then turned to go inside. She opened the screen door, stepping inside. He watched her. She turned back to him one last time. "Good night, Dawson Leery."

"Good night, Joey Potter." He felt like a goofy kid in love. He was a goofy kid in love.

She went inside, closing the door behind her. He missed her already.

"Hello, lover boy."

Dawson spun to see Eve standing there, leaning against the railing on Joey's porch.

"Eve?"

"That's right, it's me, Dawson, and I'm ready to have some fun." She pouted her lips and leaned back with sultry eyes. Dawson went helplessly into her grasp and she started rubbing herself against him, kissing his neck and running her hands up his shirt.

"I-I thought we agreed we weren't going to see each other anymore…OH, that feels good!"

"We didn't agree on anything, Dawson…and you should know by now; what I want, I get…and I want you…"

A grin opened itself across the teenager's face, as he twisted and turned, entangled in the covers.

Then the alarm went of and he sat up quickly, his heart pounding, and perspiration on his brow.

When he realized he was alone, he sat back exasperated.

"I'm telling you, Pacey…it was so real." Dawson dumped his books out on the table before him. They sat in the crowded cafeteria during lunch, Pacey, playing with his pudding, and Dawson, still consumed by his dream.

"Oh-ho-ho!…Do I know what you mean!" Pacey grinned. He looked inside his pudding cup and made a face. "What the hell am I eating? This is disgusting!" Pacey tossed the cup back over his shoulder, and when he heard a wince, he turned to see whom it had landed on.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" He said to the freshman wearing his pudding on her sweater. She gave him a dirty look, and he turned back, rolling his eyes frivolously at what had just happened.

"That was really inconsiderate of you," Dawson accused, although smiling.

"Nah…I apologized, and she acted like a b…brat." Pacey dismissed his actions with a wave of his hand. "Let's just say its 'pudding under the bridge'…"

Dawson laughed. Sometimes Pacey was unbelievable.

"So, tell me more about 'Eve'," Pacey was saying. "Did she 'do it' for ya?"

"What?" Dawson laughed.

"You know what I mean…did she stake your tent?" Pacey sat back. A mischievous smile unfolding across his face. "Did she Chop your wood? House your lumber?"

Dawson laughed harder. Then he leaned forward, and checking to make sure no one was eavesdropping, whispered,

"She did things you would not believe!"

"Yeah!" Pacey snorted. "In your dreams!"

"That's kinda my problem…" Dawson laughed again.

"I've never seen you this giddy, Dawson…I think its time you got laid."

Dawson walked to his next class, still smiling and lost in his fantasy of Eve.

"Well, look at you." He heard a voice say from along side him.

"Oh, hey Jen." He said, his cheeks flushed.

"What are you grinning about?" She asked suspiciously.

"Oh…nothing,"

"I bet nothing…come on who's the lucky girl?" She stopped walking and he inherently did as well.

Dawson's face glowed as he skittishly recounted the dream, minus a few of the sleazier details, to Jen. She had forgotten what it was like to entertain Dawson Leery's impressions of lust. He was such a boy. But he was so sincere, she couldn't stand to disable his naïve perceptions. When he was finished, she just smiled.

"Wow…sounds like you've got a lot to think about."

"What do you mean?" Dawson asked.

"Well…" Jen started, choosing her words carefully. "On one hand, you've got Eve, on the other, Joey. That's a lot to think about for a guy your age."

"A guy my age?" Dawson giggled.

"Yeah, you're completely repressed. How are you gonna deal? Eve: The forbidden fruit…a vampire, out to suck the virginity out of you…you'd better be careful." Jen took a deep breath. "On the other hand…there's Joey: 'sweet little tom-boy from down the creek'…your self-proclaimed soul mate," Jen paused. "Not that either is going to be the wrong or right choice…I'm just saying that it's something you'd better think about before jumping into 'head on', if you know what I mean…"

"Do you really think Eve's that dangerous?" Dawson asked. Jen shrugged.

"Does she scare you?"

"Sometimes," Dawson joked.
"Then maybe she is…" Jen looked down the hallway. "I'm running late for class, Dawson. I have to go, but we can talk later."

"Okay, thanks, Jen." He said. She smiled as she parted.

"Do you want me, Dawson?" Eve asked, straddling him on his bed.

"Well…Y-Yeah." He stuttered, falling back on his pillows.

"Are you sure?" She asked, pouting her lips within inches of his face.

Dawson blinked and suddenly it was Joey who was within inches of his face, leaning down on him, kissing his neck.

"Do you want me Dawson?" She uttered. "Do you want me?"

"Y-Yes…yes, Joey. Yes."

"Excuse me, Mr. Leery…am I missing something here?"

Dawson sat up with a jolt, shaking his daydream from his head.

"Huh? What?" He asked, looking around his classroom. He found his government teacher, Mr. Winslow, staring at him from the front of the room.

"I asked you a question Mr. Leery, but it seems you were off in la-la land…" His teacher said sarcastically. " …with some body named 'Joey' I think it was…" The class erupted into laughter.

"Uh, yeah," Dawson mumbled, his face growing red. "She's…my, huh, friend…"

"That's your business, Mr. Leery," Winslow said doubtfully. "Now can you please give me an answer?" Dawson shrunk down in his seat.

"Can you please repeat the question?…"

CHAPTER 2: ABOUT YOUR CONQUESTS…

"I have never been so embarrassed in all my life!" Dawson said, still wincing from the incident in his government class that afternoon. He and Pacey walked along the road towards home.

"That's funny, Dawson!" Pacey laughed.

"I'm so glad you get so much enjoyment out of my humiliation, Pace…You're a true friend."

"Hey, what are friends for?" He smiled modestly.

"Ha, ha, ha." Dawson went on. "Did I mock you for any of your 'short comings' when it came to sex?"

"Now, see…that's the difference between you and me…I never had any short comings when it came to sex. I-"

"I DON'T want to hear about your conquests, okay..." Dawson said, throwing up his hands helplessly into the air.

"Okay, okay…" Pacey laughed. "Let's talk some more about Eve…she is hot, and she does want you."

"I know, I know…it's just that…well, I'm not really sure if she's the one I…well, you know,"

"Want to lose it to?"

"Exactly."

"Well, Dawson, my friend…looks like you've got a lot to think about…" Pacey hopped down the curb and headed across the street towards his house.

"Why does everyone keep saying that to me!" Dawson moaned. "Can't someone offer a little useful advice…maybe some help?" Pacey turned back towards Dawson.

"No one can help you until you help yourself."

"How long has it been since you've seen him?" Bessie asked as she and Joey wiped down the tables in the newly reopened Icehouse.

"I don't know…a while." Joey shrugged. "I mean I see him everyday, in the halls at school, in the cafeteria…I just haven't gotten to spend any time alone with him."

"Well, why not?"

"He's always with that 'Eve'…she's stuck on him like glue." Joey frowned, and Bessie caught it.

"Well, if it bothers you so much, why don't you just ask him to spend some time alone…maybe have a movie night, like you used too."

"Movie Night was a long, long time ago…Dawson's past that now. He's just not interested in me anymore." Joey slammed down a sugar jar a little too hard, denting the table.

"Joey!"

"Sorry, Bess…" She winced, wiping uselessly at the dent with her rag.

"Be more careful." Bessie groaned.

"Jen…please think about it!"

"No, Jack! No!"

"JEN!"

Jen and Jack argued at the side of the football field at Capeside high. Jen crossed her arms in defiance as Jack, wearing his football uniform and sweaty from the last hour of practice, pleaded with her.

"Come on! He really likes you!"

"No! I am NOT going out with Henry Parker!"

They had been arguing about this for the last four days. Jen shook her head as Jack tried to persuade her with puppy dog eyes. When he got down on his knees to beg, she laughed and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" He called out after her.

"Away!" She said, not looking back. Jack hung his head in defeat and then looked over at Henry standing a few yards away.

"What did she say?" Henry asked, walking up beside him.

"What do you think she said?" Jack asked, getting to his feet. Henry looked down, slumping his shoulders in disappointment.

"Hey, there's always tomorrow…" Jack said.

"Mc Phee! Parker! Get over here! What do you think this is? Social time?" Mitch Leery yelled. "We got a big game tomorrow!" He waited on the field with the rest of the team.

"Coming Coach!" They shouted, slipping on their helmets and running back to join practice.

"I wish your brother would stop hounding me about Henry!" Jen said sipping her soda as she and Andie strolled down the street. They had been window-shopping in town, waiting for Jack to finish practice.

"I think it's cute…Henry's persistence, I mean. You're so lucky to have someone want you." Andie sighed as she stopped to look through a rack of dresses in front of a shop on Main Street.

"You wouldn't think it's so cute if you had a freshman following you around, driving you crazy…it's so annoying."

"I just wish I could have anyone following me around like that…" Andie pulled out a gray dress, holding it up to herself. "What do you think?" She asked. "For my date tonight with Rob?" Jen shook her head, sneering the dress. Andie put the dress back on the rack and pulled out a different one.

"That's nice…" Jen said doubtfully.

"Oh, you hate it, don't you?" Andie said, dropping the dress back on the rack.

"I said it was 'nice'," Jen said in her defense.

"Nice? You might as well have said it looks awful." Andie gave up on the rack and proceeded down the sidewalk. Jen followed.

"Why do you go out with that guy anyways?" Jen asked.

"Oh, don't start! It's bad enough Joey's always on my back…" Andie shook her head. "Look, he's nice to me, and he treats me like a lady…which is more than I can say for a certain someone who wont even have the common decency to say 'hello' when we pass each other in the halls…"

"Pacey's just a jealous guy is all…I mean, you cheated on him, what do you expect?"

"Whatever, I don't care…I've moved on." Andie rolled her eyes, then sighed. "I can't find anything!"

"I think we should shop for shoes…" Jen suggested.

"Why not?" Andie said cynically, "I'm having horrible luck with clothes."

"God, she is sooo HOT!" Henry grunted between his teeth as he and Jack were mowed down by three large linebackers.

"Quit talking about her!" Jack groaned as he was crushed to the ground.

Coach Leery's whistle blew, giving them temporary mercy.

"Ohh…" Jack moaned, rubbing his ribs as he got to his feet.

"I can't help but think about her!" Henry said, lost in a daze.

"Look, freshman, I said get over it!" Jack staggered to his feet, and reached out a hand to help Henry up. "Come on! Practice ain't over yet! Lots more torture left to endure!"

Dawson sat at his desk, typing away busily on his laptop. He smiled as he finished the third scene to his newest script. He sat back in his chair, resting his hands behind his head, rather pleased with himself. He had toyed with this idea for a while now, and only finally he was seeing it perfected in print. He read it back to himself silently when the phone rang.

"Hello?" Dawson said, answering it.

"Hey sweetie!"

"Oh, hey Mom."

"How are things there?"

"Good. You?"

"Oh…I have this deadline on this story…I have the worst headache!"

"Sorry to hear that, mom."

"How's your father?"

"Happy, I guess…I mean, he seems like it...out on the football field day after day barking orders at yielding teenage boys eager to please their coach." Dawson sighed.

"I know it's hard, honey, but your father loves you more than anything…he just needs something to keep him 'preoccupied'."

"I know, Mom…It doesn't really bother me that much anymore…In fact, I'm going to tomorrow's game."

"Good…" She said. Dawson could tell she was smiling. "I wish I could see it."

"I know Mom…I just wish you could too…"

"I know, Dawson. As much as I wish I could be there, I can't help but know this is for the best…for now…" His mother went on.

Dawson found arms reaching around his neck. He looked up, startled to see Eve. She leaned down over his shoulder. He could feel her breath on his neck and it gave him goose bumps. She grinned at this, and started to giggle.

"Hey, Mom…can I call you back later? I've got a lot of homework to do…" He put his finger up to his lips, warning Eve to be quiet. "Huh,uh…yeah…okay, love you too,…all right…Bye." He slammed the phone down in relief. "You are going to get me in trouble!"

"Ha,ha!" She laughed, throwing herself across his lap. "You are so cute, Dawson!" She leaned back against his chest, and whispered into his ear. "Well…I'm here, what are you going to do with me?"

A giggle escaped him as he lifted her out of his lap and stood up. He ran his hand down over the back of his neck nervously.

"You're trying to tempt me, aren't you?"

"Am I succeeding?"

"Yes."

"Then, yeah. I'm trying to tempt you, Dawson." Eve came in close to him, wrapping her arms around his neck again, and leaning against his chest. He took her arms away and stepped back away from her.

"Eve, I'm not ready for this…I keep telling you-"

"A girl's gotta try." She said cheerfully. When he didn't smile, she moaned. "Okay! Okay! I'll stop, I swear. I just want us to be friends-"

"Friends?" Dawson asked suspiciously.

"Friends," Eve said confidently. "Good friends…ha, ha!" She threw herself at him again, grabbing him by the waist and kissing him on the neck."

"Eve!" Dawson said surprised yet still intrigued by her persistence. He pushed her off of him again, and this time she yanked him back, making them fall together across the bed.

"That's good, men! That's enough practice for now…Get home, wash your jerseys and rest up for the game! We'll meet tomorrow in the locker room at 4:00!" Coach Leery patted Henry on the back. "Good job, Parker."

"Thanks," Henry mumbled, obviously drained.

"Oh, man!" Jack winced, pulling off his football gear. He dropped it to the floor and slouched down on the bench. He felt his side, wincing again at the soreness of a bruise forming there. The locker room was full of moans and groans. Everyone felt beat up from the hard practice they had put in on the field today.

"Man, that was tough," Henry said, slumping down next to Jack. He pulled off his jersey and took his street clothes out of his locker. "So are you meeting Jen after this?" He asked hopefully.

Jack shook his head fore warningly.

"Henry, what makes you think that Jen's gonna change her mind from this afternoon?"

"Something in the stars…" He said, a far away look in his eye. He forgot momentarily about his pain and fatigue. Jack couldn't help but be amused by the young freshman. He chuckled, and Henry just grinned stubbornly.

"Okay…" Jack said reluctantly. "I'm meeting her and my sister in town in about half an hour. You can come, if you want."

Henry's smile turned into an ecstatic grin. Then Jack added,

"But you'd better take a shower first 'cause you stink."

"Eve, No! Eve!" Dawson cringed, twisting free of her grasp. He stood up, flustered, and she sat back, looking as sultry as ever. "Eve! How many times do I have to say 'No'?"

"As many as it takes for you to give in…"

"I'm NOT going to give in…" He said, obviously frustrated. Then he smirked. "Not tonight anyway," Eve looked up at him, grinning.

"That's fine…but when you do, I'll be here."

Henry hurried along side Jack down the cobblestone street in Capeside's town center. As they approached the coffee shop where Jen and Andie waited patiently, sipping cappuccinos, Jack stopped, giving one last warning to Henry.

"Henry…I'm telling you, DO NOT BLOW IT. Don't say anything too…" He paused, rubbing his side. He scowled, then looked back to Henry. "Look, just don't say anything. Let me do the talking…Otherwise Jen will demolish you…and me while she's at it." Henry nodded. "Okay, let's go…remember, play it cool."

CHAPTER 3: GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

"Hey, guys…" Jack said cheerfully.

"Hey-" Jen stopped when she looked up and found Henry there, tagging along beside Jack. "Oh, hey." She mumbled.

"Hi, Jack. Henry." Andie said cheerfully. "How was practice?" She scooted around the booth towards Jen to make room for them.

"It was excruciatingly painful," Jack said, still wincing at the thought of that bruise on his side.

"Yeah," Henry agreed. Jack gave him a look as if to silence him. Henry looked across at Jen helplessly, and she looked away, avoiding his gaze.

That evening, Pacey took a walk. He needed to get out of the house. His dad was at him again, giving him hell about his attitude, his clothes, his grades, his life; everything. 'You'll never amount to anything at this rate, Pacey,' he would say. 'You're never going to be anybody.'

Pacey couldn't take it anymore, not tonight anyway. He took a walk and ended up at the Icehouse.

"Hey, Joey." He mumbled, taking a seat at the counter.

"Hey, Pace." She was surprised to see him here this late. "What can I getcha?"

"Uh, a cup of coffee please."

Joey took a cup and saucer from beneath the counter and set it in front of Pacey. She took the coffee pot from the warmer and poured him a cup.

"You want cream? She asked.

"Nah…just sugar." He said, grabbing the sugar jar. He poured…and poured…and poured, until finally Joey said,

"Jeez, Pacey…you want an insulin shot with that?" Pacey looked up innocently from his cup.

"Huh? Oh…what can I say, I like it sweet…" He smirked slyly. "Like my women."

"Oh, your women…I see," Joey smirked back.

"So, what are you doing tonight, Josephine?" Pacey asked sipping his coffee. Joey had begun wiping down the counter.

"Um," She paused sarcastically. "Working."

"Would you like to accompany me for a little walk when your shift is over?"

Joey eyed him suspiciously, raising a brow.

"Why? What are you going to do?" She asked. "Throw me in the creek?"

"No! Of course not!" Pacey laughed. "I'm just…a little lonely is all…I thought we could 'chat'."

"Lonely?"

"Yes, lonely." He said. "I was looking for some company. That's all. If you don't want to, you don't have to…I'm not going to force you!" He got defensive now. Joey rolled her eyes.

"Mmn…Okay. But after my shift, I have to close up, so it'll take a little while." She said. "And as long as you promise you're not going to throw me in the creek or anything…"

"I swear!" Pacey chuckled

After Joey's shift ended, she helped Bessie lock up. Then she took a walk with Pacey. They ended up on the pier.

"It's a nice night, huh?" He said.

"Yeah, I guess." Joey said.

"You guess!" Pacey said. "You guess? Look at the stars!" He raised his hands up to the sky. "Look at that great big moon up there…it's a beautiful night!"

"Like I said, I guess…" Joey smirked.

"You don't appreciate anything do you!" Pacey joked.

"I do!" Joey squealed. Then her expression hardened. "What is the reason you brought me out here, Pacey?"

"Joey, I really was just lonely." Pacey said quietly. "I've been lonely since I stopped seeing Andie…Being with her, I'd forgotten how lonely my life is. It really sucks."

"Oh, Pace…It'll get better. Believe me…" Joey took his hand, and held it as they walked. "I mean, after Dawson, and Jack, I was down for a long time…then when my dad was put away…again…I was really depressed. But look, later, after awhile, I was all right. Things straightened themselves out, and even though I'm not with Dawson now, I can still feel like a whole person again. I think I kinda needed that time alone to evolve into someone healthier…a little stronger…and now that I'm here, things just aren't so bad."

Pacey smiled boyishly, then that smile turned into a mischievous grin.

"What?" She asked.

"That is the biggest load of 'pretty-Mary-sunshine' that I have ever heard!" He laughed. "I don't buy it." Joey's chin dropped, then she laughed.

"Okay, Mr. Pessimistic self, if you don't want to believe it, fine! Be all mopey-down-in-the-dumps…that's just great!"

Dawson looked out his window as Eve descended the ladder. This would probably be the last time he'd ever see her again. He watched her walk off into the night. He was relieved.

She had finally gotten too out of control for his tastes and he had sent her packing. He told her

he decided he was going to save himself for the girl he loved, the right girl, and she was the wrong one. This had infuriated her. She had thrown a fit, saying that he had been leading her on. That led to name-calling. He just shook his head at her, and finally she had stormed out in a huff.

But again, he was relieved. Now his life could get back to normal and he could focus on Joey again; Joey…the girl he loved.

When Dawson wasn't able to get through to Joey on the phone, he had given up and gone to bed. He lay in bed thinking that he could find her tomorrow afternoon, at the game. Then he would explain everything and apologize for ignoring her, he would tell her how much he had missed her when he had wasted so much time with Eve. He would tell her he still loved her and they could be together again.

"Jack! Don't ever do that to me again! Do you understand!" Jen said angrily as they came through the door. She threw down her sweater and kicked off her shoes.

"I'm sorry, Jen…I wont."

Jen was still upset about him bringing Henry along to the café. He had apologized all the way home but she wouldn't listen. Jack thought it was funny. Though he dared not laugh.

"Argh!" She screamed. Jack jumped back. "I WOULD NOT GO OUT WITH HENRY IF HE WERE THE LAST FRESHMAN ON EARTH!"

"Okay! Okay!" Jack said, now bubbling over with laughter. He couldn't hold it in anymore. "Jen! Get over it! He likes you…is there something wrong with that?" Jen cocked her head to the side.

"I don't like being forced to 'date' somebody, Jack."

"Who's forcing?"

"You!"

"I am not!…Just because I bring him with me, just to-to HANG OUT, it doesn't mean I'm forcing you."

"Why don't you date him then?" She asked sarcastically.

"Because he doesn't like me, he likes YOU!" Jack grabbed her by the shoulders. He peered down into her face for a moment, then Jen started to laugh. Jack smiled. "Jen, he's a nice guy. Just be his friend."

"Okay, okay, I'll be his friend but that's it." Jen had lost the battle, and Jack smiled shamelessly about it. Jen grew annoyed at his expression. "Don't you have to rest up for the game tomorrow?"

CHAPTER 4: KICKOFF

Saturday was a busy day at the Icehouse. Joey had been at work since ten this morning and it was after five-thirty.

"Bessie…I'm going to the game now…I'm supposed to meet Pacey there in twenty minutes." Joey untied her apron and slipped it off over her head. She tossed it beneath the counter and grabbed her sweater from the coat rack.

"Okay! Have fun!" Bessie called from the back room.

Joey stepped out onto the sidewalk. The air was getting cooler and a breeze descended past her. She shivered, slipping on her sweater, then headed towards the school.

"Joey!" She heard from behind her. She turned around, smiling as she recognized the voice to be Pacey's. "Wait up!" He called catching up to her.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked as Pacey fell in stride.

"I thought I'd walk you…" He smiled. "With it getting dark and all, I didn't want you out alone."

"Hmmn…I guess chivalry isn't dead."

"My lady," Pacey said in a phony British accent. He bowed, allowing Joey to walk ahead of him.

"Why, thank you kind sir." Joey said snobbishly. He smirked, and she laughed.

"Let's go…we're going to be late."

Pacey held the gate for Joey as they entered the stadium. School spirit boomed through the air as the band played. The cheerleaders bounced around on the field below and the lights flickered across the faces of hundreds of high school students cheering from the stands in anticipation of the game. Joey and Pacey made their way to the reserved junior section and sat down.

"Man, this school spirit stuff is getting old…" Pacey mumbled among the noise.

"What?" Joey shouted over the crowd, but it was useless. They could barely hear each other. Pacey rolled his eyes at the cheerleaders. Joey laughed and rolled her eyes.

Dawson climbed the bleachers just as the band finished.

"Hey, Dawson!" Andie squealed as he almost passed her. "Come sit with me!"

"Oh, hey Andie," Dawson said, searching the crowd for Joey. When he didn't see her, he took Andie's offer.

"Wow, this game is going to be so cool," Andie quipped as Dawson sat down. "Jack and Henry and the rest of the team have been practicing so hard, they've just got to win!"

"Yeah, my dad's really been pushing them," Dawson said.

The voice over the loud speaker announced the start of the game. It was kickoff time.

Dawson settled back in his seat, while Andie chattered on.

Halfway through the game, Pacey decided he needed some air. He left Joey on the bleachers and headed out to the courtyard. He saw Jen sitting alone on the steps to the gymnasium.

"What are you doing out here in the dark?" Pacey asked, sitting down beside her.

"Oh, I'm just hiding, I guess…"

"Hiding from who?"

"Everybody. This is the first game since I quit cheerleading," Jen said, shifting on the step. "But I guess I'm mostly hiding from Henry…"

"Henry!" Pacey scoffed. "That harmless little freshman?"

"Well, that 'harmless little freshman' really isn't so 'harmless'," Jen laughed.

"Awww…but he likes you!"

"He's stalking me,"

"Well, I can see why…" Pacey smiled. "You did look pretty hot in that cheerleading uniform…gotta say, I loved the fishnets."

"Why thank you." Jen smiled.

"Eh, you're welcome."

"So, what are you doing out here?" She asked.

"Ah, I…I'm not really into the school spirit kinda thing…" Pacey shrugged. "I couldn't stand those cheerleaders and that stupid mascot jumping around all happy…it was annoying the crap at of me."

"Me too," Jen laughed, then sighed. "So, the games almost over…"

"Yeah?" Pacey said.

"So, after the game…do you wanna join me and Jack in some 'post-game' activities?"

"Sure, I ain't got nothing better to do…is it all right if Joey comes along?"

"Sure, the more the merrier."

"Cool."

"Hey, Jo," Pacey said, taking his seat beside her.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"After the game, you wanna hang out with Jack and Jen?"

"I guess," Joey shrugged. "For what?"

" 'For what?' she says," Pacey rolled his eyes. "I don't know, just to hang out, maybe socialize a bit…If that's all right with you I mean…I don't want to force you to come out of your guarded little shell, now." He laughed. Joey elbowed him playfully.

"Okay…sounds good to me."

CHAPTER 5: MAKING PASSES

Dawson had sat with Andie throughout the entire game, listening to her chatter on endlessly about everything; school spirit, her grades, her teachers, some book she had read, everything. He knew she was just being fidgety…she babbled when she was nervous. He was polite about it, but hadn't heard half of what she had said. He was too busy looking for Joey.

When the game finally ended, he had spotted her leaving the bleachers with Pacey. He had called out to her, but she hadn't heard him over the crowd.

After the game, Pacey and Joey met Jen in front of the guys' locker room to wait for Jack.

"Hey," Jen said as they approached.

"Hi," Joey said.

"Is Jack inside?" Pacey asked.

"Yeah," Jen nodded. "He said he'd meet us out here in a few…he has to sneak out. Mitch wants to take the guys out for a 'big' victory celebration."

"Are they going out for beer?" Pacey asked.

"No!" Jen laughed. "Probably out for pizza or something…"

"Oh," Pacey said disappointedly.

"Hey, lets go!" Jack said rushing through the door. "Henry's on my ass, he's been talking about you all day…if you don't want him tagging along, I suggest we split!"

"Let's go!" Jen said, taking off down the hall. The others raced after her.

"Whew!" Jen said, bursting out into the cool evening air. They had taken the long way out, through the school hallways, ending up on the other side of the school.

"Did we lose him?" Jen asked, her cheeks flushed.

"Yeah, I think so." Jack said looking back.

"Good!"

"Well, what do you guys wanna do?" Joey asked, taking a deep breath.

"I wanna have some fun." Jen said.

"Let's start by getting some coffee," Pacey said.

"When did you become the big coffee drinker?" Joey asked.

"Just lately,"

"Coffee's fine," Jack said wearily. "I just need to sit down for a while."

Dawson never found Joey.

"Hey, Dawson?" Andie asked coming up besides him in the parking lot.

"Yeah, Andie?"

"Do you have any plans tonight?"

"No,"

"Would you like to go get some pie?" He looked at her inquisitively. "I mean, I've just had this bad craving for pie…and I thought maybe you'd like to join me…"

"Sure, Andie. Why not?"

"Great!" She smiled. "Come on! I'll drive."

The group ended up at a liquor store. When Joey eyed Pacey suspiciously, he said,

"What? They got coffee here…I'll be right back." He disappeared inside and Joey, Jack, and Jen hung back, waiting outside.

After a few minutes, Pacey reemerged.

"They're all out of coffee," He said slyly. "So I got this…" He pulled a bottle of tequila from his jacket. Joey's jaw dropped and Jen squealed with glee.

"Did you pay for that?" Jack asked.

"Of course I paid for it…"

"But how did you get it!" Asked Joey.

"Um, the guy inside owed me a favor…" Pacey shrugged.

"Cool!" Jen said taking the bottle in her hand.

"NO WAY!" Joey said, stepping backwards.

"Come on, Jo," Jack smiled.

"You too, Jack?" She said helplessly. When she saw he was serious, she sighed.

"Why not? We never do anything bad,"

"Do it for peer pressure," Jen laughed.

"Yeah, come on Potter…" Pacey laughed. "We'll turn you into a lush yet," He put his arm around her and they began walking. Joey started to protest, but it was no use. Finally, she gave in.

"So…How's thing going?" Dawson asked. He sat across from Andie in a little diner in town.

"Fine. You?"

"Fine."

"Good," Andie grinned.

They sipped their coffee. Dawson took a bite of his pie. Andie continued to grin at him.

"So…I had a date last night."

"That's nice," Dawson said. He took another bite of his pie. He felt Andie's eyes on him. He looked up and wiped his mouth. She was watching him. "With who?" He finally asked.

"Rob from the boating docks."

"Oh."

They sipped their coffee again. Andie continued to stare, and Dawson went back to his pie.

"We had a lot of fun," Andie said.

"Oh really?" He said politely.

"Yeah."

"Well, that's nice. I'm glad you had…fun." He wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"He's okay, but I don't think I like him that way."

"Oh," He set down his fork. "That's too bad."

"Yeah, well!" She continued to stare at him with that silly grin.

Dawson looked down at his empty plate. He looked into his empty coffee cup. He looked up and signaled to their waitress.

"Check please!"

CHAPTER 6: I THINK THEY'RE PASSED OUT

"Oh, god! I'm a LUSH!" Joey yelled out, and they burst into a drunken laughter around her.

The four of them sat in a circle on Jen's bedroom floor doing shots, playing the state game.

"My turn! My turn!" Jack yelled. He poured a shot and passed it to Jen. "What are we up to? The I's?"

"Yeah," Pacey said.

"Okay, Jen, the capital of Idaho."

"Ugh!…" Jen fidgeted. "I think it's…um…Oh! I don't know!" She gave up. "I can't remember!"

"Ding! Ding! Ding!" Pacey bellowed.

"You lose." Jack said.

"Ha! It's Des Moines!" Joey screamed. She giggled so hard, she fell over.

"You know what that means!…" Jack clamored.

"DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!" The three of them shouted at Jen.

She raised the shot glass to her lips, then after a sputtered laugh, she gulped it down.

"Ugh!" She cried, making a face and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Your turn Pace…"

"Uh-oh!" Jack and Joey jeered.

"Great," Pacey slurred. "You know I always get 'em wrong…"

"I'll skip Iowa and make it an easy one…" Jen smirked. "What's the capital of Hawaii?

"Uhhh…" Pacey said, his eyebrows twitching as he panicked. "Ummm…."

"Tick tock, tick tock!" Jack hummed.

"Okay, okay…" He took a deep breath. "Maui?"

"Wrong!" They all shouted.

"God!" Joey giggled. "Are you a moron, or are you trying to get drunk? It's HONOLULU."

"Oh, crap!" Pacey chuckled.

"He's trying to get drunk." Jen said.

"I am drunk!" Pacey giggled, then downed his shot. "Joey's turn…Drink up, Potter." Pacey passed her the shot glass. She tried to hold it steady as Jack poured the drink.

"What's the capital of Georgia?" Pacey asked.

Joey stared at the shot. Everything got quiet. She tried to steady herself but she felt so dizzy. She wobbled a bit, and grabbed Jack's arm to keep herself from tipping over. She stared down the glass.

"I think she's had enough," Jack whispered.

"No, I can finish," Joey stated adamantly

"Are you sure, Jo? If you feel sick…"

"No! I'm fine…" She said. They all watched her as she picked the glass up calmly.

Joey frowned at the golden yellow liquid. She wrinkled her nose at its bitter smell. After a moment, she looked up, and in a little voice, said,

"Atlanta."

"Yeah!" Jack whooped, patting her on the back.

"You got lucky, Potter," Pacey said.

"Whew!" Joey exhaled, passing the full shot glass to Jack.

(Note: Normally, naming off the states and their capitals would not have been a problem, but these kids were drunk as hell. And being that drunk, it's a lot harder to do than you'd think.)

Joey had finally succumbed to a drunken slumber. She was curled up on Jen's floor. Even though she had had the most correct answers, she lost after doing nine shots. Never having been drunk before, it was more than she could handle. After vomiting once, she had passed out.

Jack had held out a bit longer, but after about the twelfth shot, he was down for the count.

Now, just Jen and Pacey were left to finish the bottle. They sat in the middle of the floor, giggling, as they sipped the booze.

"I think its sweet," Pacey was saying. "Henry is enamored with your beauty…"

"My beauty?" Jen laughed taking the bottle from him.

"Yeah, Lindley!" He chuckled. "You're hot!"

In mid-sip, Jen cracked a smile and the tequila spilled down her chin.

"Oops! Look at me!" She squealed. "I'm SO hot!"

"You're a clutz too!" Pacey giggled.

"But, don't guys like that?" She asked coyly, wiping at the spot on her blouse.

"Hell, yeah!" Pacey laughed, then added, "Look at you…you have that 'feminine mystique' thing down pat."

"Feminine mystique?" Jen leaned towards him flirtatiously.

"Yeah…" Pacey said slyly.

"Do you like it?" She asked. After a couple of seconds, they both burst into giggles.

"Pacey…" Jen asked. "What do guys like?"

"Well…" Pacey started. "Strong women, I guess."

"Strong?" Jen asked.

"Yeah…I think strong women have this 'charisma' about them…It's sexy…It's like they know what they want and they're someone who'll 'do it' with confidence…" He sat back brazenly, taking another swig from the bottle.

Jen giggled.

"Am I a strong woman?" She asked whimsically

"Jen…" He grinned. "You are the confident of the confident."

She giggled, but then remembered her blouse. "Oh!" She said unbuttoning it. "I need to wash this out before it stains!" She tried to get up but then fell back.

"Whoopsy-dazey," Pacey said getting to his feet. He took her by the hands and pulled her up. "Careful, now…"

Jen took a step towards the bathroom, then stumbled.

"Whoa!" She gasped. Pacey reached out, grabbing her just in time to keep her from falling on her face. She leaned back against him, steadying herself. When she saw Joey on the floor she giggled hysterically.

"Ssh…" Pacey whispered in her ear, quieting her.

"I think they're asleep!" She whispered.

"I think they're passed out…Let's get you to the bathroom."

This time, Pacey was the one to stumble, and as he fell, he took Jen down with him. They landed on her bed. As he dropped the bottle, the last of the tequila spilled out, soaking into the carpet.

"Hello!" She laughed, looking up into his face, her eyes red and her cheeks flushed.

Pacey stared down at her.

"How'd this happen?" He giggled.

"I think you fell," She whispered, touching his forehead.

"Oh,"

From his corner, Jack had let out a little snore, shifting in his sleep. Pacey and Jen jumped, startled at his movement. But when they realized he was still asleep, they laughed and settled back into place.

"Lightweights," Jen said softly.

"Yeah…" Pacey said, poised over her. "I guess they can't hold their liquor,"

"Not like you and me." She smiled.

"You and me…" Pacey licked his lips. His tongue felt numb and his mouth was dry. "We are two of a kind…"

"The trouble making kind?" Jen asked giddily.

"Yeah," Pacey scoffed. He took a deep breath.

A moment of silence passed between them.

"Pacey?" Jen said feeling dizzy and drunk. She closed her eyes.

"Yeah?" He asked, hovering over her.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Her eyes opened and she focused her sight on him. Pacey leaned back.

"What?"

"Do you want to kiss me?"

"Hmn…" Pacey mumbled, cocking his head to the side. "Do you think it's a good idea?"

She shrugged. "Think anyone would mind?" He asked quietly. She looked from side to side, then laughed.

"I don't think anyone is watching…"

"Well, then…" He said. "Can I?"

Jen smiled coyly, then giggled.

"No offense…but you seem awfully self assured for a guy who just ended a relationship because his girlfriend cheated on him…" She laughed again, drunkenly, and Pacey shrugged.

"She's not my girlfriend anymore…and yeah, I'm self assured." He lowered his gaze. "So, what do you think?"

Jen bit at her bottom lip.

"I say go for it."

He leaned down, kissing her softly. It was brief. When he looked into her face, she smiled so he kissed her again. She kissed him back, and suddenly they were caught up in their craving.

He felt the heat of her skin pressed against his. He had goose bumps, and he trembled as she raked her fingers across his back. He moved down, kissing her neck. She tugged at his shirt, and he yielded, letting her slip it off over his head…

CHAPTER 7: THE MONSTER HANGOVER

"Oh my god."

It was morning now. Jack and Joey stood shoulder to shoulder, mean hangovers pounding in their heads and confusion crossing their faces as speculation of last nights events raced through their minds. They moved in closer to the bed

"I see Pacey…" Jack said slowly. "But where's Jen?" Joey gave him a puzzled look. Jack crossed his arms uncomfortably as he walked around to the other side of the bed. He looked at Joey again and she shrugged her shoulders questioningly. She didn't know what to make of the scene before them, and neither did Jack.

Pacey was sprawled out across the bed, entangled in the sheets, his face buried in a pillow. He was passed out cold. And as Joey noted, there was slobber on his chin.

"Yuck," She cringed. Jack leaned over, rubbing his forehead. He turned his head from side to side, cracking his neck. Then he looked at Joey again.

"Joey, look under the covers and see if Jen's in there 'with him'…" He whispered.

"No!" She protested.

"Joey!" He frowned. "Come on!"

"You look!"

"No!"

"Why not?"
"Because!" Jack harried. "What if she's…" His voice lowered. "…naked?"

"Naked!" Joey exclaimed. "Jack, you're gay!"

"So what!"

"So what?" She squealed. "So what if she's naked! It's not like it'll fascinate you or anything!"

"Just look, Jo…" He groaned. After a moment of sulking she stepped forward.

"Oh, all right!" She snapped.

Joey took a deep breath and took up the sheets at the corner. She lifted them slowly, peering beneath them, into the unknown.

"Ew!" She said, dropping them back into place, a flush creeping up in her cheeks.

"What?" Jack asked. Joey covered her eyes.

"I think I just saw a little 'more' of Pacey then I needed to…"

"Ha!" Jack laughed. She scowled at him. "I'm sorry Jo!" he giggled. "But you should've seen the look on your face!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" She scoffed. "Your turn…you look now!"

He tightened his lips to keep from bursting out again. He took up the corners of the blankets and pulled them back from the foot of the bed. He laughed at his discovery. There was Jen, snoring lightly, make-up smeared, and hair a mess.

"I can't believe it," He said.

"What I want to know," Joey started. "Is how did her head end up by his feet?"

"Who knows?" Jack said, puzzled. He threw the covers back over her, covering her once again. He looked back at Joey, and suddenly feeling uncomfortable, said, "Let's get out of here,"

"Okay…" She agreed, feeling uncomfortable too. "You wanna get some breakfast?"

"Yeah."

Dawson awoke to the early morning sun shining through his window. He could hear the birds outside, and he sat up, feeling good at the thought of a new day. Today would bring opportunity…opportunity to make things right with Joey. But first, breakfast. He would have his breakfast then decide the best way to approach her. He smiled to himself and climbed out of bed.

Dawson padded down the stairs in his socks and made his way to the kitchen. He caught himself humming. Dawson humming? That was a first. He was giddy again, but he didn't care.

He entered the kitchen, and passing the sink, he just happened to glance out the window. He stopped mid-step and almost slipped on the tile. He leaned forward over the sink, peering out across the yard. Was this what he was really seeing?

A confused look on his face, and his mouth hanging open, he watched as Joey and Jack made their way up Jen's driveway. What were they doing together this early in the morning? Was Joey wearing the same clothes she had worn yesterday? Yes, she was…and he could tell she hadn't combed her hair yet. He leaned closer to the window and watched them head out of sight.

"Oh…my head." Jen groaned, sitting up. Something had jolted her from sleep. She had been dreaming of…hmnn…What had she been dreaming of? It was forgotten already. 'Oh well,' She shrugged. She rubbed her forehead, eyes squinted at the light shining through the shades of her bedroom window. She yawned loudly and took a look around. Her room was a mess. She saw the empty tequila bottle lying on the floor. Oh, yes…tequila. That explained her monster hangover. She took a deep breath.

'What time is it anyway?' She thought to herself. The clock read 7:47. "Oh…." She groaned again, closing her eyes and roughly flinging herself back down on the bed. Then she felt the bed stir. Her eyes flew open and suddenly from beneath the blankets and sheets, Pacey sat up, yawning.

"Pacey!" She screamed when she saw him.

"Jen?" He jumped. "What the-"

"Oh my god! What are you doing here?" She demanded, pulling the blankets up to cover herself.

"What are you doing here?" He yelled, doing the same.

"This is my room," She fumed.

"Ah…so it is…" He said, rubbing the back of his head. He sighed, then looked around, bewildered. They heard footsteps coming down the hallway towards them. Then someone knocked at the door.

"Jennifer?" Gramms voice called out. Jen gave Pacey a disturbed look, shushing him quiet.

"Y-Yes, Gramms?" She called out apprehensively.

"Did you call me, dear?" Gramms called out. "Are you all right? Can I come in?"

"N-NO, Gramms…" Jen called out. "I'm fine! I just…I had a weird…" She looked at Pacey again. "Dream…is all…I'm going back to bed."

"Are you sure you're all right?" She asked again.

"YES, Gramms, I'm fine…" Jen blurted. "I just want to sleep a little while longer,"

"Well, all right then, dear…" Her grandmother's voice reserved some doubt, but to Jen's relief, she heard her footsteps leading back to the kitchen.

After a moment, Pacey broke the silence.

"So…" Pacey whispered, looking away to avoid her gaze.

"Did we…" Jen cringed, looking down at herself. She looked at him helplessly. Pacey shook his head, shrugging.

"Did we?" He asked.

Jen looked under the blankets, then whimpered,

"Yeah, I think we did!" She covered her face in embarrassment and lay back down, shrouding herself in the sheets.

"Oh, man!" Pacey groaned. He sat back against her headboard, weary eyed, his stomach turning.

"I can't believe this!" Jen moaned.

"How much did we drink?" He asked, raising up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He picked up the empty bottle, smelling it. He jerked his head away at the bitter smell, wrinkling his nose in disgust. He tossed it back to the floor, slumping his shoulders in shame.

"I think we drank the whole thing…" She sighed. They grew quiet. Then suddenly the hazy details of the previous night came flooding back.

"I have to go!" Pacey said quickly. He fumbled with his clothes.

"Yeah!" Jen said, jumping to her feet. She threw on her robe and turned her back as he dressed. She swallowed hard, and tried to smooth back her hair.

"Whatever we did…" He said. "I-uh…I just want to apologize…I-um…"

"I know!" She blurted out. "I'm sorry, too…This was a…I…I think it's best we just, uh…" She slumped down on the bed putting her head in her hands.

"Let's just…think about this for a while..." Pacey said, fidgeting. As they looked at each other, he added, "Before we tell anyone…"

"Yes! Definitely…" Jen nodded her head. Then suddenly she cringed. "Oh, god! What about Jack and Joey!" Pacey gave her a startled look. He knew what she meant, but she asked anyway. "What if they saw us?"

"Maybe they didn't…" He started hopefully, his voice trailing off.

"Yeah, maybe they didn't…" Jen said quietly. They sat across from each other on the bed, keeping completely still, another silence passing between them.

Jack and Joey sat in a booth at a little diner in town. There was an awkward silence. They stared at each other, then at their food, then at each other again. After a few minutes, a smile slipped from between Jack's lips, and Joey burst into giggles.

"I can't believe it…" She started, shaking her head.

"I know!" He grinned. "I can't believe it myself!"

"What were they thinking!" Joey said outrageously.

"I don't know…" Jack said. "I don't think they were thinking…I think they were drunk,"

"I think they were wasted out of their minds!" Joey sat back. "What happened! One minute we were playing that stupid game, the next we're seeing Jen and Pacey…in bed together!" She grinned out of shock, and Jack smiled helplessly.

"I don't know, Jo…We all got plastered."

"I know…" Joey sighed. "My head still hurts…and my stomach!"

"That's what happens when you drink…" Jack shrugged. "You get sick…you get stupid…you get a hangover."

"Yeah, and then you end up sleeping with someone you shouldn't…" Joey shook her head again, still flabbergasted. She smirked. "Another sex scandal involving the infamous Pacey Witter. Hmnn… Really not too surprising." Jack tried to keep a straight face as he sipped his coffee. Joey played with her eggs.

Suddenly the eggs didn't look so good anymore. They were cold. They were greasy. Joey, stomach churning, looked away as she dropped her fork on to her plate.

CHAPTER 8: THE EGGS DIDN'T LOOK SO GOOD…

Dawson had forgotten breakfast and had rushed back to his room to get dressed. He came running down the stairs, almost falling once, and headed out the back door. He slowed to a walk, and made his way across the yard towards Jen's house. He wanted to talk to her, to find out what was going on. He didn't want to assume anything, he knew that Joey and Jack were just friends, he knew that Jack was supposedly gay, but he couldn't help but remember that they had once had a relationship, before Jack came out. Right now, he just needed to pacify his curiosity.

He walked towards the front porch, but then he heard a window open from the side of the house, and saw Pacey climbing out of Jen's bedroom. He walked up behind him. Pacey hopped down, landing on his feet then almost stumbled as he reached for his jacket, which Jen had tossed out the window after him. When she saw Dawson standing there, her face went blank and she hastily closed the blinds.

"Man," Dawson heard Pacey mutter. Pacey swung around, and jumped when he found Dawson watching him. "What are you doing here?" He asked. Dawson smirked.

"I should ask you the same thing…"

"Nothing!" Pacey exclaimed innocently. Dawson laughed.

"Yeah right!"

"No, Dawson," Pacey said, trying to convince him. "Nothing at all…We just had a little get together last night and it got a little too…late." He was choosing his words carefully. "So I crashed."

"Oh, I see…" Dawson said suspiciously. Then his face lightened. "So is that what Joey was doing here?"

"Huh?" Pacey said moving away from the house.

"Joey," Dawson said again. "I saw her leave about ten minutes ago…with Jack."

"Oh…." Pacey said, suddenly realizing what his friend was getting at.

"It's just that-" Dawson started quickly. He suddenly felt the need to explain himself.

"Nah…" Pacey said, shaking his head. "Believe me…you don't need to explain anything…I understand." They were walking back towards Dawson's house now. Dawson smiled.

"Don't get the wrong idea…" Dawson said. "I just was curious…I didn't know…"
"I just said you didn't have to explain," Pacey yawned, stretching his arms. "I know how you feel…rest assured, Joey did not do anything to compromise herself…especially not with Jack." Pacey laughed to himself.

"Oh…" Dawson said. "So…W-What did you guys do?" He asked. Pacey paused at the Leery's backdoor, then took a deep breath. "I tell you what…you feed me, and I will let you in on a little secret."

Jen had lain back down for a little while, and when she couldn't get back to sleep, she took a long, hot shower. She kept playing back what had happened in her mind. She kept thinking about Pacey…about drinking so much that she had lost all inhibition to…to…do what she did! She kept thinking about his lips, his warm lips…Oh god! Those lips!

What had she done!

She let the warm water spray over her face, and she closed her eyes.

"We got so hammered last night…" Pacey mumbled as Dawson poured him a cup of coffee. Dawson set the cup down in front of him, and took a seat across from him. Pacey, took up the cup and held it for a moment, breathing in the steam that rose out of it. He closed his eyes and took a sip. He recoiled a bit at the bitter taste but at least it took away his cottonmouth.

"You look like hell," Dawson almost laughed. Pacey gave him a wary look.

"I feel like hell…" He said.

"So, all four of you got drunk?" Dawson asked.

"Yep…" Pacey said, rubbing his eyes. Dawson sputtered a laugh. "What?" Pacey asked flatly. Dawson smiled again.

"I was just picturing Joey…drunk," Dawson's eyes lit up. "What was that like?" He asked. Pacey shrugged. Dawson was obviously curious. Pacey could see his eagerness. Dawson sighed. "Come on…I mean, how did she act?"

"Joey was a site to see, that's for sure…" Pacey took another sip of coffee. "She got a little crazy…" He smirked. "Oh hell! She showed this wacky side of herself that I have never seen before… You missed it." He smiled and Dawson laughed.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah,"

"How much did she drink?"

"I don't know…I don't even know how much I drank…"

"Did she pass out?"

"Yeah," Pacey nodded. Dawson giggled, and Pacey went on. "She must've drank about a thimble full before she was laid out…" He leaned back in his chair, grinning. "Oh, and she puked once too." Dawson's face grew still for a moment, then he burst into laugher.

"I shouldn't laugh, I know… But poor thing!"

"Poor thing, nothin'!" Pacey scoffed. "She didn't even feel it! She was giggling the whole time…She was throwing up one minute, the next she was laughing, then she was out cold."

"Ah…Poor Joey" Dawson smiled to himself. "She probably feels like crap right now,"

"I feel like crap right now…" Pacey mumbled.

"Yeah, but Pace, you knew what to expect…"

"No, Dawson…you haven't heard the worst of it,"

"What do you mean?" Dawson asked. Pacey shook his head shamefully, and laid his head down on the table. Dawson laughed again. "Come on Pace! Don't hold out on me now!"

"Uh…" Pacey moaned. "All right… If you swear not to tell anyone,"

Jen had finished dressing and wandered down the hallway to the kitchen.

"Good morning, dear," Gramms said as Jen began rummaging through the refrigerator.

"Hey, Gramms…" Jen murmured.

"Jack and your friend left rather early this morning," Gramms said as she sipped her tea at the dining room table. Jen gave her a funny look. "What, dear?" Gramms asked after noticing her contrite expression. Jen turned away, shrugging indifferently, even as she felt her cheeks grow flushed. Gramms shrugged then as well, and looking into her cup of tea asked, "Did Josephine sleep in your room?"

Jen could tell there was more to this question than Gramms had tried to let on. She smirked.

"Gramms, unless Tom Cruise were in his room, you would not have to worry about Jack having sex in your house."

Gramms looked up at her granddaughter. Now she was the one to blush, obviously startled by Jen's frankness. Gramms was dismayed by her suggestion, she could tell. But Jen didn't care, it made her laugh. "Gramms, you should know by now that if you ask such a capricious question, you're going to get a capricious answer."

"Oh, really, Jennifer," Gramms scoffed.

"You had sex with Jen?" Dawson gasped.

"Ssh… Keep it down, will 'ya?" Pacey said, looking around nervously.

"Oh my god!" Dawson sat back in his chair. He was speechless. He ran a hand through his hair. Twice Dawson opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. So he just stared at his friend in shock.

"You wanna know why, right?" Pacey said listlessly.

"Y-Yeah!" Dawson sputtered, leaning forward with wide eyes.

"I don't know, we were both drunk," Pacey proclaimed. "We had a moment, this really great moment…then one moment turned into a look, a look turned into a kiss, and a kiss turned into a…well, you get the picture."

"I get the picture, believe me!" Dawson blurted out. "It's just that…you two…I don't know," Dawson exhaled heavily, shaking his head. "It's just too weird."

"What's so weird about it?" Pacey asked, a little defensively.

"Don't get me wrong…" Dawson smiled uncomfortably. "You guys can do whatever you want, it's just that…I didn't think you really knew each other all that well…"

"That's why it's called a mistake,"

"Is it really a mistake though?" Dawson asked. "Doesn't that seem like a kinda harsh word?" Pacey shrugged.

"I don't know, is it?"

"Kinda," Dawson nodded his head. His eyes narrowed. "Jen's my friend…and yours too for that matter. I just don't think you should write her off as this 'one night stand-mistake' until you find out how she feels about it."

"You think she feels differently about this?"

"I don't know…maybe?"

"Great!" Pacey groaned.

"What?" Dawson asked. Pacey sat back, crossing his arms.

"That's all I need is for her to expect a 'relationship' right now…"

"Jen's not like that," Dawson snapped. "That's why you need to talk to her…to find out how she feels. Don't make things weird between you… Don't ruin your friendship over something so easily misconstrued."

"I don't know…I don't know whether to feel like an ass or what."

"Well, find out what she thinks."

"What if she thinks I'm an ass?"

"Then I guess you're an ass."

"How are we supposed to act now?" Joey asked as she and Jack walked along. It was chilly, but without a cloud in the sky, the sun was shining. They had finished breakfast. Joey needed some air, so they passed the time by walking around the pier.

"Um, normal, I think…" Jack squinted as the sun reflected off the breaking waves.

"But what's normal?" Joey asked, uncertainly. "I mean…should we act like we didn't see anything, or should we be forthright with it…I don't know. You know I don't have much experience with these kinds of things,"

"Yeah, I remember that about you." Jack smirked.

"Shut up!" Joey laughed, elbowing him playfully. "I wasn't all that innocent when we were together, was I?"

"Nah, Joey…" Jack smiled. "I don't remember you being coy at all." They walked on. "I think we should be open with it, if they bring it up first."

"Okay," Joey agreed. "Until they bring it up, we won't say anything,"

"Right."

"I hope Jen brings it up to you first," Joey laughed. She stared at the water for a moment, but the choppy waves made her feel dizzy. She looked away. She perked up, trying to sound steady. "That'll make it easier on me…"

"Well!" Jack scoffed. "I hope Pacey brings it up to you first…now that you're such great friends and all…"

"We're not great friends," Joey said sarcastically.

"Then what do you call it?"

"We're just friends is all," She snapped. Something turned in her stomach, and made her feel a little weak. She ignored it.

"Oh, I see."

"You see what?"

"I see…" Jack smiled. "Joey can I ask you something?"

"I don't know…" Joey eyed him suspiciously.

"Come on,"

"Okay…"

"Did you feel a little…I don't know, jealous when you saw them together?"

"I don't think I like where this is going."

"Come on," He said, coming to a stand still. "I mean it."

"No!" Joey said uncomfortably, rolling her eyes.

"Not even a little?"

"No! Jack!"

"I just know that you and Pacey have been spending a lot of time together and I just wondered…"

"Well, forget about it!" She snapped. Her tummy was starting to feel worse.

"What's the big deal?" He asked.

"You're trying to get at something…" Joey scowled. She tried desperately to ignore her queasiness. "Why?"

"I just want to know…I never know what's going on in your head." Jack took her by the hand. "You used to tell me everything…now I never see you, and when I do, I feel like there's maybe things you want to say, but don't." Joey looked at him, though trying to avoid eye contact. "Come on, Jo…were you jealous?" A little smile worked its way across her mouth.

"Maybe a little," She finally admitted. Jack laughed.

"I knew it!"

"Oh SHUT UP!" She said, socking him in the arm.

"Ow!" He giggled.

"It's not funny! Don't you dare laugh at me!" She warned.

"I'm not laughing at you, Joey…and, I'll admit, I was a little jealous myself,"

"Of Pacey?" Joey asked.

"No, of Jen…Pacey's a great catch!" Jack giggled as Joey socked him in the arm again. "I could see why you'd be a little jealous…" He said, more seriously now. "You can't help but like the guy,"

"Yeah," Joey said smiling. "But really, I think it's just a misplaced emotion,"

"Why's that?"

"Um, I don't know…you know, just with everything that's gone on in my life lately…"

"Do you still want to be with Dawson?" Jack asked. Joey frowned, and started to shrug. Then she looked at him, and the pain in her face showed him her answer. He put his arm around her as they walked. "Joey, you should talk to him again…see if you can work things out."

"But what about Eve?" She said dryly.

"What about her?"

"He likes her…"

"He loves you,"

"But how do you know?"

"How could I not…everyone knows."

"Then why is he with her all the time?"

"Because he's a teenage boy," Jack grinned.

"She's prettier then me," Joey frowned.

"No she's not…she's a hag."

Joey smiled at Jack and he gave her a reassuring look. "Joey, you got everything up on her…he's just waiting for you to make a move."

CHAPTER 9: TAKE TWO OF THESE AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING

"I'm going to try to get Joey back," Dawson beamed as he and Pacey made their way up the stairs to Dawson's room.

"Well, good luck," Pacey said wearily. "That girl is a wily one…don't let yourself get hurt again."

"It's not going to be like that this time," Dawson paused. He smiled. "I think we're a lot more grownup now…I think we have a good chance at having an adult relationship…"

"If you mean sex, it's not all it's cracked up to be…"

"I don't mean sex!" Dawson blushed. "Well, not exactly anyway…"

"Good. 'Cause believe me, Dawson…As good as it feels at the time, it's not always the best thing to do."

"I think Joey and I would know when the time is right…"

They entered Dawson's room and Pacey flung himself down on the bed. He was so tired and hung over. He wanted to curl up in a ball and pass out. There was no way he'd make it home, not right now. He needed to sleep. Maybe this afternoon he'd be okay to walk…

Dawson was still talking when Pacey fell asleep.

"I thought I would…" He looked at his friend, sound asleep. "Pacey?"

Dawson covered him with a blanket and stood back. Something made him decide that now would be the perfect time to see Joey. He got dressed.

Dawson climbed in his boat and rowed his way down the creek. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful morning. He smiled as he rehearsed what he would say in his head. He'd say:

'Joey, I need to talk to you, there's something that I need to tell you and please hear me out before you say anything…God! This has been going through my head for the past two days, but I couldn't find you!…Joey, what I really want to say is that I was wrong. That night, the night of the party, when you came to me and I turned you away…I was wrong. I know you're the only one for me…No one else matters but you…Joey, I love you and I want to be with you…'

Then she'd say:

'Oh, Dawson! I love you so much! Let's never fight again!' He smiled.

So maybe it wouldn't go exactly like that…

Dawson smiled again as he pulled the boat up to her dock. He hopped out, tying it down, and went up the walkway to her front porch.

He was just about to knock when the front door flew open and Bessie, carrying Alex, came barging out.

"Oh! Hey, Dawson!" Bessie smiled.

"Hey Bessie," Dawson said, stepping back out of her way. "Is Joey here?" He asked as she fumbled in her purse for her keys.

"Um, yeah…" She nodded. "Shoot!" She said, almost dropping the diaper bag. With the baby, her arms were full.

"You need some help with that?" He asked.

"Would you mind?" Bessie smiled.

He took her bags as she carried the baby. He helped her to the car.

"Thanks a lot Dawson! It's turning out to be one of those mornings, you know!" Bessie strapped the baby into his car seat. He gurgled and almost spit up. "Alex! I just got you all cleaned up!" She said. Dawson laughed.

"I don't know how you do it, Bess…"

"Lots of practice…" She stood back. "Anyways, Joey's inside. Go ahead on in…she's in her room."

"Thanks, Bess," Dawson said turning back towards the house.

"No, thank you!" She said closing the passenger's side door. She walked around to the front of the car. "Hey Dawson?" She called out after him. He turned to face her.

"Yeah?"

"You know…you've done so much for our family…I know Joey's had some problems, but thank you. I really mean it."

Dawson beamed.

"You're welcome."

"I gotta go…tell Jo I'll be home late tonight!" Bessie got in the car and Dawson walked back to the porch.

Bessie's car pulled away.

"Hello!" Dawson called out through the screen door. "Joey?" No answer. He opened the screen door and walked in.

It had been a long time since he'd been here. Not much had changed. He headed back down the hallway towards Joey's room. The door was ajar, but he knocked anyway.

"Joey?" He said. When she didn't answer, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. He looked around, but the room was empty. Then he heard a gasping sound from the bathroom. He spun around and went down the hall. The bathroom door was closed but he could hear a gagging noise from within.

"Joey?" He called out, leaning his head against the wall to listen. After a moment, she responded.

"Dawson?" She said in a shaky voice.

"Yeah, Jo, it's me…can I come in?" He heard her gasp again.

"Okay," She said after a moment.

He pushed open the door and found her sitting on the floor between the bathtub and the toilet. She looked pale. Her hair hung in strands around her face, and she had spittle on her chin.

"Joey are you okay?" He asked squatting down before her. He wiped her hair away from her face. She tried to lift her chin to look at him, but she felt another heave coming on and just in time, pulled herself over the toilet bowl.

"Oh Joey!" Dawson said holding her hair back. She heaved a few more times before slumping back against the bathtub.

"Dawson…I-I don't want you to see me like this…"

"It's okay, Jo…I'm here to take care of you,"

She felt chills running up and down her spine, and started shivering.

"Joey, you need to get warm…Are you done throwing up? Do you think it's safe to go back to your bedroom?"

She looked up at him through glassy eyes, and reluctantly nodded.

"Okay," He said, getting to his feet. He leaned over to help her to her feet, and made the mistake of glancing in the toilet. "God! Joey what did you eat?"

"Eggs…" She said in a little voice.

"Eggs?" He laughed, putting his arm around her waist.

"Uh-huh…" She said sickly. Her legs started to buckle beneath her. Dawson scooped her up and carried her to her room.

Dawson laid her out on the bed. Joey closed her eyes and curled up into a ball. He pulled a blanket up around her shoulders, and touched her cheek. She felt clammy. He went back to the bathroom, and after flushing the toilet to rid the room of the smell, got a wet cloth and a bucket.

He came back to her room and placed the bucket beside her bed. He wiped her face with the cloth and smoothed back her hair.

"Joey, if you need to throw up again, there's a bucket beside the bed, okay?" Joey opened her eyes momentarily and nodded. "Do you want me to stay, or should I leave you alone to sleep?" He asked.

"Stay." Joey mumbled.

"Okay," He said, rubbing her back. "I'll stay."

Jen had eaten a light breakfast, then returned to her room. Jack had come in and had gone to his room to take a nap. Jen took this time alone to collect her thoughts. She spent the rest of the day sprawled out across her bed, listening to a few of her new CD's, and daydreaming.

She had never thought much about Pacey in the past, but now she found she couldn't get her mind off of him. She found herself completely infatuated with the idea of him. He suddenly seemed so exciting, there was so much she wanted to explore within him. But why? This was Pacey, good old Pacey. What would two people like them, two people who have nothing in common, be doing together?

She did her best to keep from over analyzing the situation at hand, but she kept wondering what he was thinking. She wondered if he felt the same way she did, or did he think she was a total idiot? She imagined him thinking that last night had been horrible, an awful mistake, and it made her feel worse.

She thought about calling him, but she decided against it. She wanted to let him come to her. If she called him, he might think she was desperate or something. All she wanted to know right now was where they now stood. She didn't want their friendship to end. She wanted it to be better.

"Oh god," She sighed. "Is he ever going to talk to me again?"

After Gramms had returned from church, Jen and Jack had had lunch with her. Now it was almost 3:00. Jack hadn't said a word to her about last night and she started to wonder if he had any idea about her and Pacey at all. She wanted to blurt everything out, get his opinion, and his support, but her conscience wouldn't let her. They sat quietly on the couch in the living room, watching TV. Gramms had gone out to run a few errands so they were now alone in the house. Jen kept her eyes glued to the set, and didn't notice Jack staring at her. Of course he hadn't said anything, yet. He was waiting for her to bring up Pacey and last night, but he was getting impatient. She wasn't saying a word, so he decided to try to 'push' it a bit.

"So…" He said. "Last night was pretty fun, huh?" Jen looked up, a hint of guilt flashed across her face.

"Yeah, why?" She asked. Did he know? She wanted him to know.

"Oh, I don't know," Jack said quickly. "It was cool, hanging out like that…with Joey…and Pacey."

"Yeah, I guess…" Jen said, pretending to be indifferent. She hoped he would say something if he knew. Make it easy on her.

"We should do it again sometime,"

"Yeah, I guess…"

They were quiet again. Jack gave up. He stood up, stretching, and started towards the kitchen.

"I'm gonna go get a coke, you want one?"

"Jack! I slept with Pacey!" She yelled, covering her face with her hands. She looked up, helplessly, watching him through her fingers, and he laughed. "What's so funny?" She snapped, dropping her hands to her sides. "Don't laugh! Why are you laughing?"

"I already knew,"

"You did?"

"Yeah…but I was waiting for you to bring it up."

"You knew this whole time and you didn't say anything?"

"Yeah,"

"Jack!" She screamed. "We're supposed to be friends! I've been brooding about this all day!"

"I'm sorry, I just thought it would be best if I let you bring it up…in case the two of you wanted to keep it a secret…"

"Oh," Jen said, frowning. "What about Joey, does she know?"

"Yeah…she knows too…" Jack smiled.

"Oh no!" She cringed. "Does everybody know?"

"Just the four of us…" Jack laughed. "That is unless, Pacey tells someone…"

"Oh no! I bet he told Dawson!" Jen covered her face with her hands again. "How mortifying!"

"What's the big deal?" He shrugged. "It's not like its anyone else's business,"

"It's a whole big deal, Jack…Now things are going to be weird between us."

"But how do you know that?"

"Jack, this is Capeside…If there's one thing that I've learned here, it's that gossip travels fast. And it destroys! I mean, what if your sister hears about it?"

"Andie's a big girl…she'll deal with it." Jack frowned. "Besides, I'd be more worried about Henry."

"Henry!" Jen snapped. "Why would I be worried about Henry?"

"Because he likes you so much…" Jack sighed. "I know right now, you're not interested but I just think that he might be good for you, and even if you don't want him right now, this thing with Pacey…if it gets back to him, it might destroy him."

"Jack, I think I'm a little more worried about me at this point." Jen looked confused. Jack could sympathize. He knew where she was coming from…He, of all people, understood the fear of other people's opinions. He had lived in fear of them all his life. Jen had taught him not to care what other people think. She supported him, now it was his turn to support her.

"To hell with everyone else…" He said. "You focus on making things okay with Pacey. He'll still respect you, if that's what you're worried about…You were both drunk. He'll understand. Just talk to him." Jen smiled.

"Thanks Jack."

CHAPTER 10: FIRST AS FRIENDS…

Pacey woke up and looked around the room. Ah, Dawson's room. He had been dreaming he was with Jen. He sat up and yawned. The house was quiet. Where did Dawson go? Oh, Joey. That's right. He must've gone to Joey's. Good for him…

Pacey stood up and looked out the window. Dawson's window faced Jen's house. In fact, it faced her window. His was almost directly across from hers. He looked down into her window and saw the foot of her bed. He stared at it for a minute, then suddenly Jen walked past. He ducked back behind the curtain so as not to be seen.

He watched her cross in front of the window twice before going out of sight completely.

"I have to see her again," He mumbled aloud.

He reached up, feeling his hair. It felt dirty. He lifted his arms above his head and turned his head to the side, sniffing.

"Whew!" He said, dropping his arms back into place. "I definitely need a shower first,"

He walked over to Dawson's closet, swinging open the door. He pulled out some clean clothes (Dawson wouldn't mind him borrowing them) then went out into the hallway, stopping at the linen closet for a towel, then headed towards the bathroom.

"I'm going to have dinner with Andie," Jack said as Jen entered his room. He continued buttoning up his jacket. "You're welcome to join me…"

"No, thank you anyways…" Jen said as she slumped down on his bed. "I don't much feel like going out…You go. Tell Andie 'hi'."

"Are you sure?" Jack asked.

"Yeah…I'll stay home. When Gramms gets back from church, again, I'll eat with her."

"I'm all for spirituality and faith," Jack said shoving his wallet into his back pocket. "But how many times in a week does that woman go to church?"

"Ah, well…You know Gramms." Jen smiled up at him drearily. "Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday afternoon…Not to mention her bible study group on Monday's…Gramms gets around…She's a bible harlot." They chuckled.

"Okay, then…I'll see you later." Jack hugged her good bye then headed down the hallway.

Jen laid on his bed, and listened to his footsteps as he left the house. When she heard the front door close, she raised herself up and headed back to her room.

As she walked through her door, she grabbed her remote from the dresser and turned on her stereo. She turned the volume up as loud as it would go and flung herself on the bed. As the music reverberated through her walls, she closed her eyes. She relived the shock she had had this morning in this very same bed. No matter how hard she tried, she could not get Pacey off of her mind.

She wondered where he was. She wished she could talk to him. She imagined him knocking at her door. Then she thought she really did hear someone knocking at her door. She sat up, listening over the blaring music. She pointed the remote at the stereo. Pushing the off button, it went silent.

There was someone knocking at her door. She got up and crossed the room, making her way down the hallway.

"Hey, can we talk?" Pacey asked.

"Sure," Jen answered, unlatching the screen and opening the door. She was surprised to see him. "Come in, no one else is home."

"I think I'd rather we talked outside," Pacey mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Okay," Jen said. "Let me get my sweater,"

She disappeared for a moment and Pacey turned, looking out over the creek. He went down the steps to the walkway, and when he heard the screen door open again, he turned to face her.

Jen pulled the door closed. She slipped on her sweater and headed down the porch to meet him.

"Let's go sit on the dock," Pacey suggested.

"Okay." They made their way towards the creek.

It was cloudy, the sky was gray and growing dark. Pelicans swooped down to the waters surface, diving for fish but coming up empty handed. Besides the rippling of the water and the pelicans' caw, it was quiet.

"I wasn't sure if I should come back so soon," Pacey said as they reached the edge of the dock. They both sat down, letting their legs dangle over the water.

"I'm glad you did," Jen said. "We need to talk,"

"Yeah, I thought so too," Pacey said gruffly. A breeze tousled his hair and he zipped his coat up to his chin to ward off the chill.

They sat there quietly watching the birds fish a few yards away. Finally Jen broke the silence.

"Well," She said. "Where should we start?"

"I don't know," Pacey said, shaking his head. "I do want to say that I am sorry…if I hadn't been so drunk, things would not have happened the way they did. I apologize…"

"It's not your fault," Jen laughed. "Don't put all the blame on yourself…After all, I was the one who pursued you."

"I'm not,"

"Good. We're both adults here…I think we can work it out without ruining our friendship."

"I agree." Pacey said, relieved at her willingness to forgive.

They glanced at each other awkwardly, before looking away again. They both smiled to themselves, both thinking of the other, while trying to seem aloof.

After a moment, Pacey chuckled.

"What?" Jen asked, her face brightening.

"It's just that…" He laughed again. "Well, we've spent all this time together…I mean, we've known each other for almost two years, yet…I don't know, I still know nothing about you."

"Oh come on, you know me," Jen said elbowing him in the ribs. "I'm the party girl with the horrific past…the black sheep. The wild-child." She looked up at the fading sun and let out a sigh.

"Oh, come on Lindley…Nobody thinks of you that way anymore," Pacey said. He leaned back on his hands and looked at the sky. He watched another pelican swoop past, snatching a fish from an unsuspecting rival. They both darted off, antagonist in the lead, his foe behind him, squawking in odium.

He looked back Jen. "Jen, everybody likes you…"

"Sometimes I'm not so sure,"

"They do…believe me, they do." Pacey smiled. "You've got a lot to offer…" This brought a smile to her face. She even blushed. She stifled a giggle, then he went on. His face grew serious, and he stared into her eyes. "But seriously, I know absolutely nothing about you…the real you. Hopes, dreams, aspirations…Come on, Lindley. Fill me in."

"I don't have any of those," She said, smiling shyly.

"No hopes! No dreams!" Pacey exclaimed. "Come on! There has to be something!"

"No, not really," Jen said, shaking her head. "My only real dream was to get the hell out of Capeside,"

"Yeah, I hear that." Pacey laughed.

"But now…" I don't know. Suddenly Capeside doesn't seem so bad…"

Pacey caught a glimpse of Jen smiling to herself. Something about her, something in her smile…in her eyes…made him feel so passionate. This is what he had felt last night. This was what attracted him to her.

Although last night's details were still blurry, he couldn't help but remember the freedom he felt within her…the effect she had on him was liberating, even as he only realized it now. She was such a strong individual, so full of life, and it was contagious. Just being near her, he felt so much more enthusiastic about everything.

He watched as she absentmindedly twirled a lock of hair. He watched her expression fluctuate, her eyes accentuated by dark lashes, her lips pouting as she spoke. She has great lips, he thought.

"I think it had a lot to do with Jack," She was saying. "It was nice to finally have a friend again…a real friend, not like Abby." Her face grew troubled for a moment, and her lips grew still, but then she tossed her head to the side and sighed. "I never had so much fun as when I was with Abby. As much trouble as she was, she was always ready to party."

Pacey smiled.

"We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to…"

"No." Jen shook her head. "Believe me, this isn't something I haven't already dealt with. Its fine really…As much as everyone hated Abby, I think I hated myself more. Mom and Dad really helped out there… "

"It's easy to take what people say to heart…believe me, I know." Pacey said. "It's one of the many quirks of living in the Witter household,"

"We really do have a lot in common in that aspect, Pacey." Jen said flatly. He laughed.

"Yeah, but I've found that through persistence, you can really find yourself. You don't have to be what other people say you are."

"Yeah…" Jen touched his arm. "You're definitely right there,"

He looked down at her hand. When she noticed him staring, she pulled away. An awkward silence passed between them. They both fidgeted in their seats, before commencing.

"Joey really despised me…" Jen grinned.

"Yeah, She did," Pacey smiled. "No getting around that one…

"You know," She said, shaking her head. "I tried so hard to be her friend…It's taken me almost two years to get her to speak to me in a civilized tone."

Pacey laughed.

"But it was only because of Dawson…" He said. "See, Potter's like that. She's very jealous. If it hadn't been for you two…dating…then befriending her would have been a piece of cake."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Pacey exhaled heavily. "You know, sometimes I think she still hates me."

"You? No…"

"Yeah, me. It wasn't until last year, when we got stuck doing that biology report together, that she could would even look at me without that insistent frown of hers…"

"I didn't hear about that," Jen giggled. "Tell me more."

"Oh…it's an amusing story," Pacey went on. "Well, there's not a whole lot to it…We were down at the pond, collecting samples of muck and such, and uh, well…we ended up falling in somehow,"

"You fell in!" Jen squealed.

"Yeah!" Pacey laughed. "Needless to say, she blamed me…"

"Oh, yes…" Jen said, rolling her eyes. "Of course it was your fault."

"Yeah, as usual…He smirked. "Well, it was freezing, and so I suggested we get out of our wet clothes…" He stopped when Jen raised her brow at him suspiciously. "What???" He asked innocently.

"Nothing," She said, smiling to herself. "Go on…"

"Well…we ended up wearing blankets home…It was really funny. Joey kept eyeing me like I was some kinda perv or something…And, I have to admit that I did try to peek when she was undressing…"

"Ha!" Jen laughed. "You did?"

"Yeah," Pacey said, blushing. "In the rearview mirror…although I couldn't really see anything…It was all innocent fun."

"Innocent? Coming from you, I don't believe it!"

"Come on! A boy's gotta do what a boy's gotta do…and don't throw stones when you live in a glass house, Lindley."

"I'm sorry! I know!" She sighed, her cheeks still flushed from laughing. "But seriously, Pacey…You two never…"

"No. Never." Pacey smiled. "I did try to kiss her once…"
"You did?"

"Yeah…"

"What did she say?"

"Nothing…But I almost got a fat lip over it," Pacey chuckled.

"That I believe!"

"Yeah, but I think Dawson was even angrier…That just wasn't a good situation to put myself in."

"It's really funny," Jen started. "But as much time as I spent chasing after Dawson, I really think, deep down, that those two are meant to be together."

"Yeah, me too."

"Pacey," Jen asked quietly. "Do you…do you believe in soul mates?" He looked at her, and she looked back. He thought about it. Then let out a deep sigh.

"No, Lindley…Not anymore. If you would have asked me that six months ago, I may have had a different answer for you…but now…No. I don't think so."

"You know, I think that some people just get lucky," Jen said rather matter of factly. "People like Dawson and Joey…they have it easy. They spend their whole lives together from the very start…From day one, there's no question about it." She looked out over the water at the sinking sun, then continued. "But you and me…we're the ones who have to search…we have to earn it…our route to happiness is a longer, harder road." She looked at him again. "Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know Jen…I don't know." Pacey looked into her eyes then spoke directly. "Jen…Do you think we made a huge mistake last night?"

"Um…" She shifted uncomfortably. "It probably wasn't the best decision…"

Pacey sighed heavily, putting his chin in his hands.

"No…You're right. It probably wasn't."

CHAPTER 11: …THEN AS MORE

"Hey, sleepyhead," Dawson smiled as Joey stirred awake next to him. She looked at him wearily, then smiled back.

"What time is it?" She moaned.

"About six, I think…"

"I must've slept all day…"

"Yeah, accept for the times you woke up to vomit, yeah…I'd say you slept all day." He grinned. Joey, suddenly noticing the aftertaste in her mouth, made a face.

"Yuck," She said quietly, raising up.

The room was growing dark. What little light that slipped through the shades was not enough to illuminate anything, and Joey's alarm clock glowed red in the shadows.

Dawson helped her sit up. He propped a pillow behind her back.

"I'm so hungry," Joey said, yawning.

"Hungry!" Dawson exclaimed. He laughed and shook his head. "What would you like to eat? I'll go get it…anything you want."

"Oh, I don't know…" She stretched, then sat back in place. "I could really go for a burger right about now…"

"A burger!"

"Yeah," She said, sitting back and smiling. "And a diet coke."

"A burger and a diet coke…" Dawson smiled. "Okay. I'll be back in a flash!" He jumped off the bed and turned towards the door.

"Dawson!" Joey laughed. "Where are you going?"

"You're hungry…I'll borrow the Jeep from Mitch…"

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." He looked down at her, and they smiled at each other. Then Dawson turned and headed out the door.

"No onions!" She called out after him.

"No onions!" He called back. She heard the screen door slam.

Joey smiled to herself. How strange to wake up and find Dawson, of all people, here like that. He had stayed with her all day, taking care of her. Her stomach ache was completely gone, and her head wasn't pounding any more. She got up and almost tripped over the bucket.

"Eww…" She said as its contents sloshed around inside of it. The smell made her think of last night, and she quickly turned her head away. She walked out into the hallway making her way to the bathroom. She flipped on the light, and glanced in the mirror.

"Oh my god!" She said, recoiling from her image. "Oh man! And Dawson saw me this way…great!" She turned around and exhaled heavily, leaning against the sink. She ran a hand through her hair. It was dirty and tangled, and she knew she must've smelled bad.

She pulled open the shower curtain and turned the hot water on full blast. Dawson wouldn't be back for atleast twenty minutes. She'd have enough time to atleast shower. She should clean up before she saw him again. She hated looking like a slob in front of him, even though their relationship was long over. She still felt a little subconscious around him

The water sprung from the shower head and as the water heated, steam began to rise, fogging up the mirror. She went to her room, taking fresh clothes from her drawer, then stopped at the linen closet for a fresh towel. She went back into the bathroom and closing the door behind her, started to undress.

"I like you, Pacey." Jen whispered to him. "I like you a lot."

He thought she looked completely radiant, sitting there with her pale skin, illuminated, even in the emanating darkness. She smiled at him again, and he felt himself wanting to kiss her.

"I like you too,"

They looked at eachother, slowly, smiling shyly. Pacey reached out, taking her hand in his.

"Jen! You're cold!" He said suddenly, rubbing his hands together over hers to warm them.

"No, no…I'm fine…"
"No. You must be freezing! Here…take my jacket…"

"No! Pacey! I'm fine,"

"Just take it." He insisted. Having had already slipped it off, he was now draping it around Jen's shoulders.

"Thank you," She said. "That's sweet."

"No problem," He said, taking her hand again. Jen leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder.

They sat there, listening to the water. It had risen at evening tide, and it was running faster now. Within minutes, the sun had finally sank into the creek.

"Uh-hem…" Pacey cleared his throat. Jen raised her head and looked at him. He looked at her, then smiled. "Where do we stand?"

"I don't know," She shrugged. "But right now…we're sitting pretty close, and I'm feeling a little brave…"

"Oh really?" He asked, raising his brow at her.

"Yeah…" She said in a low voice. She reached up, touching his chin. "So why don't you kiss me?"

In the midst of their kiss, Pacey and Jen had not at first heard the displaced sloshing of the water near by. Now as it was louder, Jen had heard it, and she paused. Pacey stopped, and moving away from her lips, turned to the right. It was too dark to see anything, but he heard the water moving, and whoever, whatever, it was, it was close.

Pacey stood abruptly, and Jen followed, staying close to him.

"Who's there?" He called out. Surprisingly it was Dawson's voice that answered.

As Dawson's row boat came close enough to be revealed by the dock's dim lighting, Jen blushed. She realized Dawson would have seen them there, together kissing, and she didn't know exactly what to say.

"Oh, it's you," Pacey said, sighing.

"Who'd you think it was?" Dawson asked, obviously amused that he had surprised them.

"I didn't know…the lady killer or something." Pacey laughed. Jen smiled, a bit uneasily.

Dawson tossed a rope to Pacey and Pacey reeled him in closer. As the boat bumped into the dock, Pacey tied the rope, securing it into place, and Jen offered a hand to help Dawson out.

"What are you doing here?" Jen asked as he stepped onto the dock. "I haven't seen you all day."

"I've been hanging out at Joey's all day…She was really sick. Don't you guys ever let her drink that much again!" He frowned at them, but then smiled. "I was just on my way into town to pick her up something to eat…She's craving burgers. You're both welcome to join me."

"A burger sounds really good right about now…" Pacey mumbled, looking at Jen.

"Yeah," She smiled. "Okay, Dawson."

"Cool," Dawson said. "Let me just run inside and get the keys to the Jeep,"

They made their way up to Dawson's porch. Dawson disappeared inside, and Pacey took this opportunity alone to finish their kiss.

Without a word, he grabbed the unsuspecting Jen, spinning her on her heels, and dipped her back, kissing her deeply. When he finally let her go, he stood back, grinning shamelessly. She giggled and hugged him, quickly kissing his chin.

She was still giggling when Dawson returned. They tried to act as if nothing was going on. Dawson smirked.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Uh-huh!" Jen giggled. Pacey turned away, wiping his lips.

"What are you guys up to?" Dawson asked suspiciously.

"Nothing!" They said, their laughter betraying them. Dawson shook his head in amusement.

"Yeah, okay…Let's go then."

Joey stepped into the shower, pulling the shower curtain closed. She closed her eyes, letting the warm water run over her head and face. Her wet hair hung around her shoulders and the water ran its way over her body.

'God, this feels good…' She thought as she leaned against the shower wall.

She washed her hair, and scrubbed away the dirty feeling from her skin with a loofah and scented body wash.

Once finished, she turned off the water and got out. She applied her favorite lotion, and wrapped her hair up in a towel. Slipping on her robe and slippers, she padded out into the hallway, and went back to her room to wait for Dawson.

"What do you guys want?" Dawson asked as he pulled up to the speaker in the drive-thru.

"I'm really hungry," Pacey said from the back seat. He looked out the window at the menu.

"Yeah, me too…" Jen said. "I haven't eaten all day."

"Can I take your order?" A scratchy and muffled voice came through the speaker.

"Yeah, one minute please," Dawson said. "Pacey?" He asked.

"I'll take a couple of cheeseburgers, with everything…" He glanced at Jen in the front passenger's seat. "Uh, on second thought, hold the onions," She laughed and he smiled. He looked back to Dawson. "And a large chocolate shake, extra thick." He looked at the menu again. "And a large order of fries…" He paused. "Wait…Make that chili fries." He sat back, assuredly. "With extra cheese…and extra chili."

Dawson and Jen looked back at him, lips pursed as if about to speak. Both just stared.

"What???" He asked. Dawson just turned to Jen.

"What about you, Jen?"

"Um, a cheeseburger, no onions, no Mayo…and a large Dr. Pepper." She glanced back at Pacey, and caught him smiling at her. She smiled too, then looked away shyly.

Dawson turned back to the speaker.

"I'm ready now…"

They sat there, waiting. Nothing.

"Hello?" Dawson called out at the speaker.

"Go ahead!" The voice suddenly commanded, the words choppy from static.

"Jeez…" Dawson mumbled, then recounted the order. He ordered a couple of burgers for him and Joey, as well as fries and their drinks.

"That'll be 16.31, please pull around." The voice commanded.

They pulled up to the window. Dawson paid the cashier, and they were given their food.

"How can you eat all that?" Jen asked Pacey as they pulled away and headed back.

"Hey…I'm a growing boy…" He smirked, opening one of the bags and smelling it's aroma. "Ahhhh…." He sighed.

Dawson dropped Jen and Pacey off at Jen's then continued down the road in Joey's direction.

He was pulling into the Potter driveway within a matter of minutes.

CHAPTER 12: CLOTHES SLIGHTLY DISARRAYED

Joey sat at her vanity, still in her robe and slippers, drying her hair with her towel. She heard the front door open, then close, then footsteps in her hallway. She turned as Dawson appeared, food in hand, and when she saw him she jumped from her seat. She took one of the bags and dug inside, taking her burger and immediately taking a bite. She sank back down on her bed, mouth full, chewing silently. When she swallowed, she looked at Dawson, and started to say something, but took another bite instead, She sigh in relief as the food hit her stomach.

Dawson laughed.

"You were really that hungry?"

"Uh-huh!" Joey said between bites. She reached out as he offered her her drink. She gulped down the rest of her burger, took a long sip of her diet coke, and before she even asked, Dawson was already offering her another burger. She took it greedily, then sat back, sliding her legs onto the bed, and leaning back against her pillow.

Dawson sat down at the end of the bed and started to eat.

When they were through, they sat back, tummies full, empty wrappers surrounding them. Joey smiled.

"Thanks for the-" She paused. "BURP!" Surprised, she covered her mouth in embarrassment. Dawson laughed. Joey started to excuse herself when another burp, smaller this time, escaped her. She turned red, but Dawson just giggled.

"Feel better now?"

"Yeah," She smiled. "Thanks for getting the food…How much do I owe you?" She reached for the change jar sitting on her night stand.

"Oh, no…It's my treat." Dawson said, waving her money away.

"Thanks," She said.

A moment of silence passed between them.

"Thanks for taking care of me," Joey said in a small voice.

"No problem." Dawson said. Another moment passed.

"Joey?" He said, focusing his brown eyes on her.

"Yes, Dawson?"

"How…how have you been?"

"Okay, I guess…"

"I mean…" Dawson stopped. Joey sat forward.

"What, Dawson?" She frowned. He looked at her earnestly. Then he finally worked up the nerve to speak.

"Joey…I've missed you."

"But what about Eve?" The words escaped her lips before she had actually meant to say them.

"What about Eve?" He asked slowly.

"I thought you liked her."

"I did."

They both sat, staring at eachother. The look on Joey's face made him immediately want to rebut what he had just said.

"I didn't," He declared. "I mean, not like I like you."

Dawson leaned forward. The springs in the bed creaked beneath his shifting weight. He took one of her hands in his and spoke as honestly as he could.

"Joey…from the day we met, you have been my whole world. My whole life has been bound together by your presence. We have come through so many things together…so many hurdles…first as friends, then as…more." She watched his eyes. She could see into him. She thought she might cry as his words floated past his lips.

"Joey…I can't stand how it's gotten…You are the most precious thing in my life. I can't do anything without you by my side." He shook his head in earnest. He looked back to her. As hard as it was for him to speak, it was so easy for him to want to bare his soul to her. He continued on, now without restraint. "I came here today to tell you…I know I've messed up. I've wasted a lot of time, I've wasted a lot of myself, when I should have been working on us. And I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me now. I want us to be together…as friends, as boyfriend-girlfriend, whatever you are willing to give me…" His words ended in a whisper. "I need you in my life." He looked at Joey, into her eyes, waiting for a response. She stared at him blankly; confused, and dismayed. Then her lips parted to speak.

"As lovers?" She asked.

"What?" He asked, surprised.

"You want us to be together," She whispered. "…as lovers?"

She looked into his eyes now, not averting her gaze but waiting for his reply.

A million things ran through Dawson's mind in that second, a million different possibilities. How could he answer that? What was the right thing to say? The truth?

The truth will set you free…

"Yes." He whispered. "Yes, as lovers."

Jen laid on her back on the soft carpet in her bedroom, clothes slightly disarrayed, and her shoes kicked off. Pacey lay beside her, his head propped up on one hand, as he stared down into her eyes. Music played low in the background. The soft light from the lamp illuminated the room, casting faint shadows across the walls. The food wrappers covered her bed.

Jen giggled as Pacey traced his finger over her exposed tummy. He traced a circle around her belly button, and she giggled louder as it tickled her. He was telling how he had thought about her all day.

"…And so I thought, I should come over and lay my cards out on the table, and let you decide what kind of an ass I am…"

Jen giggled again, smiling up at him.

"You're not an ass, Pacey!"
"Oh, what am I then?" He asked. Jen looked up at him, slightly cocking her head.

"You're a sweet guy…"

"Oh, sweet!" Pacey said, falling back. She sat up and leaned over him. He rested his hands behind his head, and smiled at her.

"And sexy…" She added coyly.

"Sexy, huh?" He said in a low voice. "Wow…I like that…"

"Yeah?" Jen asked, leaning down within inches of his face.

"Yeah…" He said as her mouth covered his. They kissed, and when Jen raised back, up off of him, she pushed up his shirt and started tracing her finger on his washboard stomach.

"You know that makes me horny as hell, right?" He smirked. She giggled, but did not stop tracing her finger against his skin.

Dawson and Joey laid across her bed, kissing in a tight embrace, Dawson over her, running his hand up and down her thigh. Their breathing grew heavier as they advanced.

Barely able to contain his fervor any longer, Dawson stopped and sat back. Joey looked at him as if to ask him, 'Why?' He ran a hand through his tousled hair.

"Joey…I am really excited right now…I don't know…" He took a deep breath and looked her right in the eye. "I don't know if I can be this close to you without…without…" He grew quiet, as he couldn't think of the right words.

Joey sat forward, hands reaching down to the knot holding her robe closed. She fumbled with it for a second, and before Dawson could speak, she slipped off her robe.

Dawson was baffled, not knowing if he should be terrified or compelled. But suddenly everything felt so right. Him and her, together, now…it was right. This was it. This was their time. They locked eyes.

Dawson's hands went to his sweater, and he pulled it over his head, tossing it to the floor. Joey reached forward, aiding him now, as he removed his undershirt. He paused as Joey reached out, touching his chest. Then his hands moved down to his belt. As he slipped off his pants, she came forth, kissing him.

His pants fell to the floor.

"Pacey…I don't know where this will go, but I am hoping we get to know eachother really, really well in the process…"

"I hope so too, Lindley."

They lay on the floor still, looking up at the ceiling. Music still played in the background. Jen rested her head against his chest, his arm around her, as they talked.

"You know, Lindley…I think this is the most fun I've ever had with a girl with my clothes on."

"Oh really!" Jen laughed out.

"Yeah…you're a cool chick…"

"Well, thank you…you're a cool guy."

"Thank you…"

"I must say, this is the nicest conversation I've had with a guy…a straight guy that is, in a long time." Jen giggled, rolling over on her stomach. Pacey laughed. Jen suddenly stopped laughing. "Pacey…what should we do about Andie?"

"What about Andie?" Pacey asked.

"Well, I mean, she's my friend, and what will happen when she finds out about…us?"

"I don't know…" He shrugged. "I'm more interested in what happens between us."
"I know Pacey, but I'm wondering how I should handle her."

Pacey sighed heavily. He lifted Jen's hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.

"How 'bout this..." He started. "I'll talk to Andie first, that way there's no embarrassing moments between the two of you."

"Pacey…"

"No, no, no…This is my mess…I don't want you having to worry about ruining any friendships…not on my behalf."

Jen smiled at him. He smiled back. "I'll talk to her…you talk to Jack."

"Jack already knows"

"What?"

"Yeah…" She laughed. "He saw us…So did Joey."

"Joey too!" Pacey said sitting up.

"Yes, Joey too." Jen said. Pacey fell back to the floor. She leaned over and kissed him softly…

CHAPTER 13: THE LUCKIEST CHAPTER OF ALL

"Joey! Wait, wait, wait!" Dawson halted, pulling away.

"Dawson, what's wrong?" Joey asked, obviously alarmed. She pulled the sheets up around her. Dawson shook his head. She felt herself start to panic. "What, Dawson?" She demanded.

"Not without a condom…" He said. Her expression softened as the panic left her.

"Do you have one?"

He reached down to his pants, lying at the side of the bed. He dug into the back pocket, withdrawing his wallet.

He fumbled to open the wrapper. It only took a few minutes, but to him, it seemed like hours. When finally it was open, he found that there was another task in front of him: putting it on.

"Joey…" He said. She looked at him.

"Yes?"

"I don't know what I'm doing…I've never done this before…" He sat back, glancing around the room self consciously.

"I know…" She smiled at him. "I've never either, but that's okay. We'll just take our time." He took a deep breath. Joey leaned forward again, taking his hand. "Just kiss me, and I swear it will all be okay…" Their lips met in an open-mouthed kiss, and Dawson's sudden fear diminished…

Pacey walked up the driveway just as Andie's car pulled up. Jack climbed out of the passenger's seat.

"Hey, man." He said when he saw Pacey.

"Hey….I need to talk to your sister. Is that cool?" Pacey's eyes shifted past him towards Andie.

"Yeah…I guess." Jack said, stepping aside.

Pacey walked around to the driver's side. Andie watched him approach, a blank expression on her face. He put his hand on the roof of the car, and leaned forward. She rolled down the window but said nothing.

"Andie…can we talk?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure." She nodded. She looked at Jack standing in the driveway, eyeing them suspiciously. "Jack…" She called out. "I'll see you tomorrow at school." He nodded and turned down the walkway, disappearing around the side of the house.

Pacey went around to the passenger's side of the car and got in. Andie looked at him questioningly.

"Can we go somewhere?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure…where to?" She asked with an uneasy smile.

"You're place?"

"Sure."

They rode through town in silence, Andie wondering what he had to say, Pacey wondering what he would say once they got to her house. When finally they reached the two-story townhouse that Andie called home, she had already imagined a thousand things that Pacey could want to tell her.

She pulled the car into the garage, and turned off the ignition. They both sat there, quiet and still. Finally Andie took a deep breath and unbuckled her seat belt.

"Well, shall we go inside?" She asked in a cheerful voice.

"No…I think what I have to say…" He gulped nervously. "I think we should just talk here. I don't want to disturb your father." Pacey glanced at her, then looked away.

"Oh," She said. "Well, okay!" She smiled. What could he want?

"Andie…I know that we've had our differences, and I know that our history together isn't so great…But I had hoped we would stay friends."

"Pacey…what are you-"

"Please, Andie. Let me finish before you say anything."

"Okay…"

"I hoped we would stay friends…and I hoped that we could work out our differences…"

Andie smiled. She knew where this was going. As Pacey continued, she had already imagined the rest of the conversation in her head. Pacey wanted to get back together…she wanted to too. He went on, and though she nodded in agreement, she didn't hear what he was saying. Instead, what she had imagined is what registered in her mind. Until, that is, she heard this:

"…I'm going to date Jen."

"WHAT?" She said, suddenly crashing back to Earth.

"I'm going to date Jen."

She looked at him in disbelief, and when he saw how shocked she was, how hurt, he knew this had been the wrong way, the wrong time. Now he felt a bit guilty. But the guilt would soon fade.

"I can't BELIEVE you!" She screamed.

"WHAT?" He said.

"You're going to date Jen? JEN?" Andie shook her head. "God! This just figures! This is sooo like you, Pacey!"

"What do you mean?"

"You are a horrid, horrid person! I can't believe you, Pacey Witter! You are so disgusting!" She abruptly got out of the car, and he fumbled with his seatbelt to do the same. She slammed the door and started towards the back door to her home.

"Andie!" He called as he followed her. "Andie, wait!"

"For what?" She asked, suddenly turning on him. "What is it you want from me, Pacey? Do you want my BLESSING? Is that it? My blessing?" She put her hands on her hips. "Well, you're not going to get it, mister! Not now! Not ever!

"Andie, I don't want your goddam blessing! I was telling you straight, so that you wouldn't hear about it from someone else later on. I was trying to be honest with you."

"Well, you know what, Pacey? You and Jen…" She took a deep breath. She was so angry right now. She clenched her fists. "You and Jen…" She started again. "You two belong together…I hope you both rot in hell!"

With that she turned, and went inside.

"Be that way, then!" Pacey called out after her. "Freak out! That's right! Take it to the extremes, Mc Phee! No surprise there!" He stood there for a moment, his anger swelling. Then he realized he was all alone, she had not taken his insults, and he probably looked like an idiot, letting her make him lose his cool like that. He turned and stormed out of her garage, out to the street, and took his frustrations out walking home.

CHAPTER 14: SO TELL ME…

"So I take it you and Pace are a couple now?" Jack asked, smiling.

"We're not a couple," Jen laughed. "We just really like each other is all…and we don't want to push it."

"I wonder how Andie's gonna take it…" Jack sighed.

"I'm sure she'll be okay." Jen said hopefully.

" I think Pacey was talking to her about it tonight…"

"What? Tonight?" Jen said.

"Yeah, he was leaving as she dropped me off. He asked me if he could talk to her, then he got in the car and left with her."

"Oh no…" Jen said. "I hope everything goes okay…"

Just then the back door opened and Gramms came in.

"Well hello, Jennifer, Jack!"

"Hi Gramms," They said in unison. She smiled, as she took off her hat.

"How was your day?" She asked. Jen and Jack looked at eachother, and stifling laughter, shrugged.

"Nothing…"

"God, Joey…You know I love you so much…"

Dawson and Joey lay close in the dark, his arm around her. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. She continuously ran her fingers across his arm, back and forth, back and forth. She closed her eyes and smiled to herself.

"I love you too."

"I'm sorry I cried." He said.

"It's okay Dawson…I hear that it's a natural response for most guys the first time." She looked up at him. "Besides…I understand why you did."

"I'm not a wuss, am I?" Dawson joked. Joey laughed.

"No, you're not a wuss, Dawson. On the contrary…"

"Am I a stud?" He asked. She laughed again, and he chuckled with her.

"Yeah, Dawson…you're my stud." She raised up, and kissed him, a few times, sweetly. Then she looked at him seriously. "I really am so glad we did this…"

"Me too, Jo." He smiled. "Me too…"

"Damn her anyways!" Pacey yelled as he slammed his bedroom door. He was still furious at how Andie had reacted earlier. He flung himself on his bed. Sighing, he lay face down in his pillow, until he couldn't breath anymore. Then he sat up, and grabbing the remote control, flipped on his TV. He flipped the channels a few times, before pausing at a rather provocative scene. He was familiar with this type of program. He leaned forward.

He checked his watch.

"Ooh…9:30. Time for 'Skinemax'." He settled back on his bed, as the images flickered across his face and walls within his dark bedroom. He sighed again, but soon forgot about his existing dilemma.

The next day, Joey and Dawson awoke to the sun shining and birds singing.

Jen met Jack at the breakfast table for their usual waffles and coffee.

Pacey snored on, still wearing the same clothes from last night, his TV still flickering.

Andie stood at her mirror, frowning at her reflection.

"Andie?" Her father knocked at her door.

"Yes, Daddy?"

"Are you coming down to breakfast?"

"Yes, Daddy…in a minute." She heard him walk away, and she turned back to the mirror again. "Oh, Andie…Why are you taking this so hard?" She asked herself. She knew the time would come when Pacey started to date other girls, and she hadn't meant to be so harsh on him. But Jen? She just hadn't expected that. Now what should she do? There only was one thing to do: Apologize to Pacey for being such a witch about the whole thing.

Deciding on a plan of action made Andie feel better already. She threw on her robe and headed downstairs to eat breakfast with her father. Afterwards, she would get dressed, then head to Pacey's house. Then they would talk things out, and be friends, and everything would be okay then.

"I can deal with this," She said, smiling to herself in the mirror. "Everything's going to be okay!"

Dawson and Joey hugged for a long time on her porch as the morning sun poked through the trees. They didn't want to let eachother go.

"This day is just perfect!" Joey said.

"Yeah, it is…" Dawson agreed. He took a deep breath, smelling her hair. Her fragrance utterly bewitched him. He pulled her closer and kissed her. "I'm sorry…I have to go…Mitch will be looking for me soon."

"I know. It's okay."

"I wish I could spend every waking moment with you, Joey."

"I know…me too Dawson."

"But," He said, reluctantly letting her from his embrace though still grasping her hand. "I must return Mitch's Jeep or he'll get pissed."

"We don't want that…" Joey said, kissing him one last time. "So I'll see you at lunch time?"

"I can do better than that," He said, finally letting her go. "I'll find you before first period," He backed down the steps. "I love you, Joey Potter."

"I love you, Dawson Leery."

She watched him drive away. She turned back to go inside, but stopped at the door one last time.

"I'm so in love with him." She whispered.

Pacey was still asleep when Andie knocked at his bedroom door. His brother, Deputy Doug, as Pacey so fondly called him, had let her in on his way off to work. When he didn't answer the first knock, she tried again, harder.

"Go away!" He mumbled.

"Pacey?" She called out through the door. Pacey's eye's opened. He sat up wearily.

"Andie?" He called out.

"Yeah, Pace. It's me…"

"What are you doing here?" He looked at his clock. 7:09 a.m. He sighed grumpily. "Are you here to yell at me some more? To call me an asshole? Well, if you are, I don't want to hear it!"

"No, no! Pacey! I'm here to apologize!" She said. "Can I please come in?"

"Apologize, heh?" Pacey mumbled to himself. "Yeah! I guess…"

She opened the door and found Pacey sitting on the edge of his bed, yawning. His hair was all a mess and sticking up in different directions. He was weary eyed and his clothes were all rumpled.

"You look like hell," She said. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for school? It's getting late…"

"Hey, hey, hey," He said. "I don't need your criticism…"

"I'm sorry," She said. "I'm not here to criticize you."

"Yeah, so I've heard." Pacey stood up, scratching his head. "Well, have a seat," He motioned to the bed. Andie sat down.

"Pacey…" She started. "I've been doing a lot of thinking since last night, and I have come to a conclusion. I must apologize for my behavior. I had no right to go off like I did…I am ashamed of myself for stopping so low, and I hope that you can please forgive me."

"Hmnn…All right, Mc Phee. I guess I can forgive you…After all, I can understand. It must've hurt you…what I said. I know, I've been on the receiving end of that 'talk' before, and it doesn't feel good."

"I'm so glad you see it my way!" Andie squealed. Pacey threw her a warning look. "Oh, sorry." She said.

"I'm not all that much in the mood for cheerfulness today, okay?"

"You're right. Again, I'm sorry." She got up and started towards the door. "I'll leave you alone now…I don't want to get in your way."

"Nah, Mc Phee…" Pacey said, stopping her. "It's okay…You can hang out if you want."

"Really?" She almost shouted as she spun back to face him. She beamed at him, and he laughed.

"Yeah…Make yourself at home."

"Jack!" Jen burst out, swatting at him playfully. "Get your feet off the table before Gramms kills you!"

"Sorry," Jack said absentmindedly, moving his feet from the coffee table to the floor.

"What's wrong?" She asked, sliding down on the couch next to him. "You seem distracted."

"Oh, it's nothing, really…" Jack glanced at her. Early morning cartoons flickered across the TV screen.

"What?" She said.

"I just…I'm a little worried about last night."

"Andie?"

"Yeah."

"Well, don't worry about Andie, Jack," Jen smiled. "Pacey wouldn't say anything to hurt her feelings…He can handle it."

"I know, but…" Jack was at a loss for words. He trusted Pacey, that's for sure. But he couldn't help but worry about his little sister.

"Oh, Jack…" Jen sighed.

"If only I knew how it went…"

"I know…I'll call Pacey," She sat up. Jack shook his head.

"I don't want to intrude,"

"Don't worry…" Jen smiled. "We'll just confirm that everything went okay. Make sure that Andie didn't have a nervous breakdown, and that Pacey isn't lying in a ditch somewhere with one of your sister's footprints in his behind…" She patted him on the back, and he couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry, Jack. I'm sure everything is fine."

Andie sat at the edge of Pacey's bed watching his TV. Pacey had jumped in the shower, and now she sat, just waiting, "hanging out" as he had put it.

She looked around at his disheveled room, and sighed. It was a mess. She hated messes. She didn't remember ever seeing his room this way before. Had he become a slob after their breakup? Because of their breakup? Maybe…

She stopped thinking about it, for fear of growing obsessed with the idea, and looked back to the TV.

There was an old rerun on, a game show where they asked various trivia questions. She tried to play along in her head but the mess around her was just too stressful. She couldn't concentrate. She sighed again and reluctantly got up, gathering Pacey's dirty laundry, which had been strewn haplessly about the room.

As she tossed the clothes into the hamper, she came across one of the sweaters she had given him.

"Ohh!" She sighed, holding it against her chest. She closed her eyes and recalled how he had looked when he had tried it on for the first time. Before realized what she was doing, she raised it to her nose and smelled it. It smelled so much like him. His scent brought back so many memories…

"Oh my god! What am I doing?" She suddenly scowled, pushing the sweater away. She glanced around unassumingly, then dropped the sweater into the hamper with the other clothes. She shut the lid, and moved on to the bed.

She stripped the mattress of its sheets and blankets, tossing them to the floor in a huff. She started from scratch, stretching the fitted sheet over the mattress.

She hummed to herself as she worked and when the phone rang, she jumped. Absentmindedly, she picked up the receiver and said,

"Hello?"

There was a pause. "Hul-lo…" She said again.

"Andie? Is that you?" Jen's voice hissed across the line.

"Oh no!" Andie gasped, dropping the phone.

"Hello?" Jen yelled. "Hello? Andie?"

When no one answered, Jen slammed down the phone in a huff. She turned to Jack, a look of dismay across her face.

"What's going on?" Jack asked.

"I don't know," Jen frowned. "I don't know what's going on…"

CHAPTER 15: …WHAT'S GOING ON?

Andie looked down at the phone in horror as the dial tone buzzed through. What had she done? Oh, why had she answered the phone! Pacey was going to kill her…He'd probably think she did it on purpose, to try to mess things up between him and Jen.

"Way to go, Andie," She thought aloud. She bent down and picked up the phone, placing it back on the nightstand.

She frantically fluffed the pillows and straightened the covers. She hadn't heard the water shut off, or Pacey reemerge from the bathroom.

"Andie! What are you doing?" He asked.

Pacey stood barefoot in the doorway, in shorts and a tank top rubbing a towel over his wet hair.

"Pacey!" Andie spun to face him. She stepped towards him, nervously rubbing her hands together. "Oh! Um! Hi! I'm sorry, but I couldn't stand just sitting here! I mean, your room! It was a major pig sty…No offense,"

"None taken,"

"So…Anyways, I thought while I'm just sitting here…waiting…I might as well straighten up."

"Thanks," Pacey mumbled, looking around at his freshly cleaned room.

"Pacey?" Andie said in a small voice.

"Yeah, Andie?" He asked.

"I kinda…" She fidgeted, looking down at her hands. "I kinda messed up…"

"What do you mean?" He eyed her suspiciously.

"Well…"

"Andie, just spit it out."

"Jen called, and I answered the phone, and I think she kinda got the wrong idea, and I totally freaked and dropped the phone and she yelled at me and then she hung up!" After a quick pause, Andie laughed nervously, biting her lip as Pacey's frown turned into a scowl. "I'm really sorry, Pacey."

"Andie!" Pacey huffed.

"I am truly sorry! I can call her back, if you want, and explain! I'll explain everything! She'll understand. I'll make her…"

"No, Andie…" Pacey sighed. "You've done enough already…"

"I'm really sorry, Pacey. I didn't mean to do it."

"That's okay…Don't worry about it, McPhee," Pacey threw her a reassuring look, even as she fidgeted still. He knew she would dwell on this if he didn't set her mind at ease immediately. "Don't worry, Andie. Stop thinking about it. I'll handle it."

"Okay," Andie said quietly.

"I said don't worry about it."

A grin opened itself across her face and she couldn't resist.

"Oh, Pacey! Thank you for being so understanding!" She ran up and hugged him.

Pacey stood there awkwardly as she wrapped her arms around him. But after a moment he returned the hug. He shook his head…What was he gonna do with her?

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!" Mitch roared as Dawson burst through the backdoor.

"Sorry, Dad." Dawson said quietly, tossing the keys on the kitchen table. He tried to hide the grin spreading across his face, but he couldn't.

"Don't you ever stay out tall night without calling me, do you understand?" Mitch scolded. "I was worried sick!"

"No problem, Dad." Dawson beamed.

"I have to be at work in half an hour! And…Why are you in such a good mood?" Mitch asked suddenly.

"Because it's such a great day!" Dawson shouted. He hugged his father, then bounded up the stairs.

"Now what was all that about?" Mitch watched after him, then gathered his keys and walked away.

Dawson bound into his room, the door slamming shut behind him. He felt this restlessness building inside him.

God, did that really happen? He asked himself. Another smile spread across his lips. Yes it did.

"Woo-hoo!" He yelled, flinging himself across his bed. He stared at the ceiling, remembering how it felt to hold Joey in his arms. Wow.

He lay there with his hands resting behind his head for what could have been hours as he fell into a daze. In reality, it was only a few moments and then his restlessness took over again.

"Ah…Joey…" He sighed.

Dawson sat up abruptly. He reached to his nightstand and grabbed his phone. He quickly dialed a number then paced the floor as he waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey, did I wake you?"

"Oh, it's you."

"Well, gee. Thanks."

"Sorry…I was hoping it was Jen," Pacey muttered.

"Why? What's wrong?" Dawson asked.

Pacey looked at Andie, sitting on the edge of his bed watching TV.

"Nothin'," He sighed.

"Pacey, I have to talk to you!"

"Yeah, well, can it wait until school? I don't really have time right now-"

"You'll never guess-" Dawson took a deep breath. "I had sex!" His voice boomed over the line.

"W-What?" Pacey was dumbfounded, as he almost dropped the phone. "Wow. With who-Joey?"

"Of course!" Dawson was full of glee.

"Oh,"

"Pacey, this is the happiest day of my life!" Dawson smiled as he waited for a response.

Pacey didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He rubbed his hand across his forehead.

"Well?" Dawson's voice came over the line.

"Well…" Pacey started. He forced a smile. "That's great, I'm really happy for you. Congratulations…She's a great girl."

"God, I know!" Dawson sat down on the edge of his bed. "Pacey, I feel like a whole different person…like my whole world has suddenly changed! Everything just feels so different, so…so, I don't know! Wonderful!"

"Yeah, I know that feeling,"

"I never realized how close that intimacy would bring us. I want to be with her every minute, I want to touch her, just to know she's there…" Dawson smiled. "Pacey…Joey, she means everything to me. I never want to lose her again. She's my destiny. I want to marry her, and have kids with her, and wake up and eat breakfast with her every morning for the rest of my life…"

As he listened to Dawson's voice, Pacey couldn't help but feel envy…even jealousy. He didn't say anything, but he couldn't help but feel his own loneliness tugging at him. He had always admired what Dawson had had, and he felt cheated some how that he didn't have it too. He thought about Tamara Jacobs and how she had left Capeside, and him. But then he met Andie. She changed him, she really did, but what he thought he had with her…It had been all wrong. Pacey suddenly realized for the first time how desperately he wanted what everyone else seemed to have. Maybe Jen could give him that.

"Am I crazy, Pacey? Am I insane?"

"Dawson, calm down," Pacey answered. "You're only sixteen. You have plenty of time to think about the rest of your life. Right now, focus on the present." Dawson was silent. Pacey went on. "Think about how it's gonna be the next time…You thought the first time was great, wait until the second,"

"My god, Pacey…"
"Yeah," Pacey smiled. "Now you're getting the picture."

Dawson was overwhelmed. He spun around.

He almost dropped the phone when he found Eve sitting on his windowsill.

"Eve!" Pacey heard Dawson say.

"Eve's there!" Pacey said. Andie looked back at him.

"How long have you been sitting there?" Dawson said, forgetting about Pacey.

"No, Dawson! Get out!" Pacey yelled helplessly.

Dawson walked towards her, the phone in his hand at his side.

"What are you doing here?"

"It's a trap!" Pacey cried. "Noo!"

Eve smiled, leaning back coyly against the wall. Dawson raised the phone to his ear not paying any attention as Pacey warned him.

"I'll have to call you back," He pushed the off button and Pacey was lost.

"Dawson? Dawson?"

CHAPTER 16: WHAT AN INTERESTING SITUATION…

"Eve,"

"Hello, Dawson." She smiled.

"Like I asked before, what are you doing here?" Dawson's tone changed as his face darkened.

"Oh…I just thought I'd drop in…" She left the sentence hanging in the air as she approached him. She came within inches of his face. "I came by last night and you weren't here…" She started to drape her arms around his neck, but he pushed them away. "I thought I'd drop by before school for a quickie, if you were in the mood."

"Stop it, Eve." He snapped. "I thought I made it clear that we weren't going to see each other anymore."

"Oh come on, Dawson" Eve said flatly. "You know you like me…" She tried to put her arms around his neck again.

"Not interested," He said, stepping back out of reach. He turned away, completely agitated with her. "Damn it Eve! Can't you understand? I don't want to be with you, and I don't want to sleep with you," He turned on her. "And another thing! That ladder is not for you. I don't want you climbing through my window anymore."

"Dawson," Eve said, rolling her eyes. "Don't you think you're being a little harsh…"

"No, I'm not being harsh. You just don't get it! I tell you and I tell you and you just don't want to hear it."

"Dawson," Eve said arrogantly. "I'm only interested in one thing, It's not you, it's not your silly little obsession with the brooding tomboy down the creek…" Her tone softened. "It's your body I'm interested in," She slinked up to him and ran her finger down his chest. "Just as you're interested in mine,"

"I'm not interested, Eve." Dawson said coldly.

"Come on, Dawson," Eve whispered as she played with the hair above his ear. "You want me to make a man out of you, don't you?"

"The only thing you would make me is desperate and pathetic."

Eve flinched. His words stung her. She recoiled and her face went stony.

Dawson was never this direct, and truthfully, it was uncomfortable. Even now.

He was tired of being nice. Even as anger swept through her cheeks, he held his ground, crossing his arms in gritting his teeth.

"Fine," Eve finally said, stepping away. "If that's the way you want it…"
"It is."

"Then I'll leave."
"Good idea."

"Fine." Eve went to the window, looking back only once before she climbed out and disappeared. As he heard her steps descend the ladder, Dawson sighed in relief. He ran his hands across his face.

"God, why was that so hard?"

"What was that all about?" Andie asked. She had risen from the bed and was approaching Pacey.

"I don't know!" Pacey said helplessly.

"Well, is everything okay?" Andie said, concerned.

"Yeah…It's just…Dawson." He rubbed the back of his neck. Andie came closer.

"What happened?"

"Well…He just gave me some…news is all."

"News?" Andie asked. "Was that what you were yelling about?"

"Uh, no…" Pacey said, laughing a little. "It was just…we were talking about Joey, and I guess Eve snuck in his room and he had to go…"

"Eve." Andie said squarely. "What's that tramp doing back in Capeside? I thought she left."

Pacey laughed at her frankness. Andie smiled.

"Mc Phee…You're too much."

"It's true…she's a tramp! Joey would kill him if she knew Eve were in his room…If they were still together that is."

"They are together…That's what he called to tell me."

"They're back together?" Andie's jaw dropped. "Then what's Eve doing in his room?"

"I don't know!" Pacey said. "Like I said, we were talking and she was suddenly there-"

"That BITCH!" She bellowed.

"Andie!" Pacey said, taken aback. But Andie's mouth was already going.

"She knows darn well that Dawson loves Joey and still she tries and tries! I swear, if anything like that would've happened while we were together…! Forget it! I'd have had to kick some serious butt!"

There was an uneasy look on Pacey's face before he laughed. He realized he had no idea of what to expect from her. She really had changed since when he first met her. Maybe it was the pills…

Andie caught herself reveling in his attention. She smiled at him.

She knew she should probably just back off and let things be. They had broken up. He had no intention of taking her back. Still, she thought maybe there'd be a chance…

Pacey may have been with Andie, but his mind was on Jen.

Jen and Jack were finishing up the breakfast dishes while Gramms sat at the kitchen table, organizing her knitting basket. Jen still was a little upset about the phone call she had made to Pacey's, but Jack had calmed her down. They had eaten and now it was almost time for school.

"Are you both going to be coming home right after school today?" Gramms asked as she wound some yarn into a ball.

"I don't know Gramms…probably, why?" Jen asked drying the last plate. Jack wiped the counters. He shrugged.

"Well, I just wanted to remind you that I'll be home late, so you can help yourselves to whatever you can find in the refrigerator."

"We'll just order a pizza, Gramms…its no problem."

"Yeah, Mrs. Ryan." Jack said, drying his hands.

"Well, alright then, but make sure you kids eat something healthy…especially you Jack, You need all the energy you can get for football practice…I don't want you withering away to nothing."

"I will, Mrs. Ryan," Jack smiled as he caught Jen smirking at him.

"Yeah, well, come on Jack…" She said. "We'll be late for school."

Jen grabbed him by the arm and led him out of the kitchen.

"Have a good day, children!" Gramms called out to them.

"You too!" Jen called back.

Joey hummed to herself as she straightened the tiny kitchen. Bessie sat at the table feeding Alex. She watched as Joey floated from counter to counter, oblivious to anything going on outside her head.

"Joey, why are you glowing?" She finally asked. Joey stopped, embarrassment flashed across her face.

"None of your business, Bessie!"

"What's going on, Joey? What happened yesterday when Dawson came over?"

"Nothing!"

"Joey! Fess up!" Bessie was adamant that something was up, and she wanted to know. "I'm not an old lady ya' know, I'm not that out of it! I wanna know what happened!"

Bessie's face was stern and Joey knew there was no way she could hide anything from her sister.

"Well," She started, leaning against the back of Alex's high chair. Bessie leaned forward, waiting. Joey smiled. "Well, we got back together,"

"That's great, Joey!" Bessie sat back in her chair. "I'm really happy for you-"

"And we had sex."

Bessie's mouth dropped, and Joey decided immediately to laugh it off. "I'm just kidding, Bes!" She lied.

"Oh, Joey! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Bessie took a deep breath. She smiled as she fed the baby another spoonful of malt-o-meal. "Don't kid like that, Jo!"

Joey looked at her helplessly. She wanted to be honest with her sister, but something about Bessie's initial reaction told her it wasn't the right time. She continued wiping down the counters, concentrating on not acting so cheerful.

Jack walked down the sidewalk with Jen trailing aimlessly behind him.

"Do you think Pacey and Andie…could've…you know,"

"No, I don't think Pacey would do that…" Jack looked up at the sky. "Not after what happened with you."

"Are you sure Jack? I mean, he did love her…" Jen frowned.

"Jen, she cheated on him…That changed a lot in his head, and I don't think he's forgotten about it,"

"Yeah, but…" She fished for the right words. She let out a deep sigh as they walked towards the school. "She meant everything to him, you know…and maybe something happened."

She kicked at the ground, her lips pouted in melancholy. She felt dread building in the pit of her stomach.

Jen realized she had probably assumed more about him than she should have. Come on…She barely knew the guy. Maybe Pacey wasn't interested in her at all…Maybe the other night was just like all of the other times she had spent desperate and drunk…Maybe he had just used her like everyone else in her life…

Not Pacey. He didn't use people. She hoped he didn't.

"Jen, I'm sure there's an explanation."

Jack smiled at her, reassuringly, but she didn't respond.

CHAPTER 17: …WHAT AN INTERESTING GIRL

Andie sat on the steps of Pacey's porch as he watered the lawn. They hadn't talked much since the phone call and Andie suspected that Pacey felt uncomfortable with her there. Still, she didn't want to leave. Not just yet. The least she could do was drive him to school. And besides, he looked really good in his tank top…standing under the sun, sweat glistening on his shoulders…No, she definitely didn't want to leave.

Pacey wondered if he should have called Jen back. He looked back at Andie, who sat on the steps staring at him. He half smiled at her, then looked back to the grass.

What was he going to do with Andie? He didn't want to be rude, but he couldn't do anything about Jen while she was around. He'd half to be up front with her, and just explain what he had already told her last night; that he was interested in someone else now. He was interested in Jen.

And about Jen: He'd see her at school. He'd have time to explain then, and then all would be okay.

"I'm leaving Bes!" Joey called out as she opened the front door.

"Jo!" Bessie called from her bedroom. "Are you coming home after school?"

"I don't know, why?"

"Nevermind…I was going to ask you to swing by and get Alex, but don't worry about it! I'll just leave him with the sitter."

"Are you sure Bes?"

"Yeah, it's fine…That way if you want to spend some time with Dawson…"

"I can pick him up later if you want…" Joey called.

Bessie emerged from the hallway.

"If I work late, do you think you can pick him up by six?"

"Yeah sure." Joey nodded.

"Thanks, Jo! I owe you one."

"No sweat…"

Joey turned to head out the door, when Bessie caught her by the arm.

"Jo?" Bessie smiled. "About the way I acted at breakfast…I'm sorry. You're a responsible adult…don't think I want to give you a hard time."

"I know Bes,"

"Joey, when the time does come, I want you to tell me so I can help you prepare."

"Prepare?" Joey asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, Jo…Promise me you'll tell me so we can get you on the pill."

"The pill?" Joey said rather densely. She rolled her eyes, and Bessie squeezed her hand.

"Yes, Jo! The pill! I don't want you getting pregnant at sixteen!" The look on Bessie's face made it clear that she was not taking this lightly. "I was already an adult when I had Alex, and it's hard enough! I don't want you having the same problems as me. Please, say you'll tell me…"

Joey looked at her sister, and slowly shrugged.

"Sure," She mumbled.

"Good." Bessie smiled, then hugged her. "I know I can count on you."

Andie drove in silence. Pacey sat in the passenger's seat, looking out as the trees and houses moved past.

Andie had caught herself day dreaming a thousand different dreams about what it would be like if her and Pacey were back together. Finally, her mind wondered onto thoughts of how she could bring him back to her.

She glanced over at him a few times to see what he was doing. He continued to stare out the window, as if in deep thought.

"So…Pacey!" She said cheerfully. He looked over at her. "What are your plans for after school?"

"Well," Before he could even finish, she was interrupting him.

"I thought maybe we could hang out some more, like old times? You know, maybe get something to eat, catch a movie, maybe take a walk on the pier…"

"Andie,"
"It would be so much fun! Just the two of us! We could talk about the old times, everything we used to talk about before…"

"Andie, no."

"What?" She looked over at him, obviously a little hurt. Pacey bit his lip and sighed.

"Andie…I thought I made it clear that I'm interested in someone else right now…I don't want to sound rude, but I don't think it's a good idea that we see each other all that much outside of the group. It just isn't healthy."

"But Pacey…"
"Please, Andie…"

He watched her through his cool blue eyes and she suddenly felt very silly. She shrugged it off as they pulled into the school parking lot.

"Sure, Pacey." She forced a smile. "Whatever you say."

Mitch pulled the Jeep into the staff parking lot. Before he could even turn off the ignition, Dawson was hopping out of the passenger's seat and shutting the door. Mitch looked up.

"Later, Dad! Thanks for the ride!" Dawson called out.

"Dawson! Where are you off to in such a rush?"

"I'm gonna go find Joey!" He yelled, then turned and sprinted across the lot.

"Bye," Mitch called out, but Dawson was already gone.

Dawson headed into the main hallway. It was crowded, as usual on Monday, but he effortlessly made his way through the kids to where Joey's locker was. He only had to wait for a few minutes before Joey appeared at his side. They locked eyes, and without a word slipped into a kiss.

"Oh my god! Joey and Dawson are back together?" Jack exclaimed as he and Jen passed them.

"Yeah, didn't you know?" Jen said lightly.

"Did you?" Jack asked. She smiled slyly. "But how did you know?"

"A little bird told me…"

"Come on Jen! Since when?" He motioned to the two, still in a passionate embrace.

"Well," She said turning to him as they stopped at her locker. "If you must know, Pacey and I ran into Dawson on the dock last night, and it kinda slipped out of his mouth. He didn't say for sure at the time, but it looks like I guessed accurately." She smiled as she looked past him at the couple.

"Wow! Good for them! I knew they'd work things out…"

"Not only did they work things out," Jen's smile turned into a grin as she shoved her books into her locker. "But it also looks like they've consummated their relationship."

"What?" Jack said, surprised. He looked back at them again, still kissing.

"Look at them, Jack! They're all over each other."

They were all over each other.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean…"

"Trust me, Jack. I know these things…I have a sixth sense about them." Jen closed her locker and leaned back against it. "They definitely did it."

Jack sighed.

"Is everyone doing it but me?"

The bell rang and the mass of teens began moving in opposite directions.

"I'll catch you at lunch!" Jack yelled, bounding off down the hall.

"Bye!" Jen called out, going the other direction.

Joey and Dawson, oblivious to the bell, continued kissing until someone yelled out,

"LEERY! GET A ROOM!"

Pacey got to the door of Jen's first period class just as Jen was about to disappear inside.

"Can I talk to you!" He said, a little out of breath.

"Yeah," She said, stepping to the side. She looked up at him and folded her arms across her chest.

"I wanted to explain,"

The second bell rang, as the last students filtered into their classrooms.

"I hope so," She said. She leaned back against the wall.

"I want to start out by saying that nothing happened, and I think-" Pacey exhaled. "I think that we…"

"Ms. Lindley, will you be joining us?"

They both looked up, surprised at the interruption. Jen's teacher, Mrs. Reagan, was standing at the door. Pacey looked back at Jen, and she could see the urgency in his eyes.

"In a minute," Jen stated.

"Well!" Reagan said, surprised at her candor. "When you do care to join us, you will receive a tardy."

"Fine, I'll take my time then."

Mrs. Reagan pulled the door shut in a huff. Jen and Pacey were alone in the hallway.

"Uh, I'm sorry about that," Pacey said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't mean for you to get in trouble."

"It's okay," Jen smiled. "I want to hear what you have to say…Class can go on without me."

"Okay," He laughed.

He looked into her eyes. She looked back, a smirk across her lips. "You look so hot right now," He said.

"Pacey!" Jen laughed. "Are you going to tell me or not!"

"Uh, yeah." He smirked, coming in closer. "Andie stopped by to apologize for something she said to me last night. She said she'd give me a ride to school, so she waited while I took a shower. You called, she freaked…I mean, you know how Andie is! I got out of the shower and she was practically in tears about the whole thing. She's really sorry…and so am I."

"It's cool, Pacey." Jen said, looking past him for a moment. "We're not an item or anything, so you don't have to try to convince me,"

"No, Jen. I do." He put his hand on the wall and leaned in towards her. His eyes were bright as his warm breath touched her skin. He lowered his gaze, and smiled. "There's something about you that just pulls at me…I'm totally into you, and I don't want anything interfering with us."

Jen bit her bottom lip.

"I feel the same way…"

In the moment, they forgot about everything else and just stared at each other.

Jen suddenly realized she was due in class, and broke the trance. She reached out and touched his chin.

"I have to go now," She said, sidestepping him towards the door. "But lets meet at lunch…talk some more."

"Yeah," He said, still unmoving.

He watched her pull the door open, and he heard Mrs. Reagan's voice pause as she slipped inside.

CHAPTER 18: THE TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE

Jack stood in line in the cafeteria waiting to pay for his food. Andie crept up behind him.

"Boo!" She yelled, poking him in the ribs. He jumped.

"Andie!" He smiled at her. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry, Jack…I just couldn't resist." Her smile brightened as she looked around the lunchroom. "Have you seen Pacey?"

"No…" Jack said. "Why?"

"We have some things we need to talk about," She clasped her hands behind her back, and stood there for a moment. "Well, if you see him, tell him I'm looking for him!"

"Sure," Jack said suspiciously.

"Great! See ya!" Andie bounded off across the room.

Jack paid for his food then found an empty table.

A few minutes later, Joey came, sitting down her tray. She slipped onto the seat beside him.

"Hey, Jack."

"Joey!" Jack smiled. "Long weekend, huh?"

She gave him a funny look then laughed.

"Yeah, I guess…"

"So? Anything new going on?" He asked. She shook her head. Jack smirked. "Nothing?" He asked again.

"Well…" She said shyly. A big grin flashed across her face and she leaned forward eagerly. "Oh, Jack. Things have changed so much in the past 3 days…Dawson and I got back together."

"Congratulations," He smiled. "I told you things would work out."

"Everything just seems so right," She sighed, and sat back in her chair. "I'm so afraid I'm going to jinx it somehow! You know what I mean?"

"Jinx what?" Dawson asked, slipping into place next to her.

Jack smiled, welcoming him to the table.

"Us." Joey said, putting her hand on his thigh. He put his hand over hers and shook his head.

"Nothing can jinx us." He leaned over and kissed her.

Jack cleared his throat.

"Uh, I don't mean to intrude, but am I missing something here?" They both stopped and looked at him innocently. Jack let out a little laugh. "I mean, one minute everything's one way, the next…You guys act like you're vacationing on another planet!"

"Sorry," Dawson said, letting go of Joey's hand. They smirked at each other. Then Dawson looked to Jack. "So what's new with you, Jack? My dad working the team too hard, as usual?"

"No…Practice has been okay…"

They carried on small talk for a few minutes. Joey spotted Jen and Pacey entering the cafeteria together. She watched them as they approached. Pacey, Jack and Dawson exchanged greetings.

"My sister was looking for you," Jack mentioned as Pacey sat down. Jack thought Pacey looked a little troubled now, and he wondered why.

"Thanks," Pacey mumbled.

"Hey, Joey…" Jen smiled. "You look like you feel better."

"Oh!" Joey groaned, rolling her eyes. "Dawson helped me get over my hangover,"

"So I've heard," Jen said lightly.

"Yes, Joey is never going to get that drunk again," Dawson teased, putting his arm around her.

"I'm never going to DRINK again, period." Joey shrugged.

"I don't think any of us will," Pacey said dryly, slipping his arm around the back of Jen's chair.

"I sure as hell am not," Jack said. "Not during football season anyways…I still don't think I'm ready to take on practice today…"

"Speaking of football," Dawson said, looking past him. "Isn't that your friend, Henry, coming this way?"

They turned to look as Henry Parker came closer. Jen's face went blank, and before she or Jack could say anything, Henry saw Pacey's arm around her.

His face fell.

"Henry, What's up!" Jack said uneasily, moving his chair aside to make room. "Wanna sit down?"

"Uh, no…that's okay," Henry answered shyly. His eyes moved from Jen to the group then back to Jen. Pacey let his arm slip off the back of her chair and he looked away.

"I just wanted to say hello." Henry glanced at the floor. "So…Hello." A round of hello's replied.

A moment of silence passed. It was awkward and Jack couldn't take much more of the tension.

"So, I'll see you at practice today?" He said, his voice a bit too cheerful. It was something he had learned from his sister.

"Um, yeah. I guess I'll see you then…" Henry fidgeted for a moment. "Later," He said finally as he turned and walked away.

Jen and Pacey looked at each other, both feeling a tinge of guilt.

"He'll get over it," Dawson said.

"I hope so…" Jack added. He was sure he was going to get the sharp end of it at practice. "For my sake."

When the lunch bell rang, the five of them stood and gathered their things.

"So we'll meet out on the patio after school?" Joey asked Dawson.

"Yeah," Dawson turned to Pacey and Jen. "You want us to wait for you two? We can walk home together,"

"Yeah," Pacey nodded. Jen looked to Jack.

"Jack, did you want me to wait for you after practice?"

"No…You go on ahead. I'm sure it'll run long as usual…besides, I can ask Andie for a ride."

"Well, okay then." She shrugged.

"Catch you later!" Jack said as he left.

"See you at home," Jen called out after him. She turned back to the group. Dawson and Joey were kissing again. She smiled at Pacey then took Joey by the arm. "Come on, Joey…we're going to be late."

The girls departed and headed towards the art department. Fourth period was Joey's painting class, and Jen had photography. Dawson headed toward his science class, and Pacey headed towards the dreaded math department.

As Pacey walked hesitantly towards his trigonometry class, he heard fast approaching steps behind him. He wasn't surprised when it was Andie who bounded up beside him.

"Hi Pacey!"

"Hey, Andie."

"So I missed you at lunch," She said.

"Uh, Yeah…I saw Jack, he said you were looking for me?"

"Yeah, I was."

They stopped and faced each other.

"Pacey…I need to know something," She started rubbing her hands together, as she so often did when she was nervous.

"Sure," He said.

"Would you be able to help me with this…" She looked into his eyes.

His eyes…Ohh! They were so beautiful! He would never buy her asking him to help her with any of her schoolwork! She started over. "Well, it's not exactly help I need…"

"What is it Andie?" Pacey said. He was becoming annoyed. "Spit it out, I'm going to be late."

"You know what!" She said, suddenly losing her nerve. "Forget it! It can wait!"

"Are you sure?" He asked as he started walking again.

"Yes! I am definitely sure!"

"Good, see ya later."

Andie slunk back against the lockers, dreamy eyed as she watched him walk away. He was her one and only true love, her first, and she wanted, no, needed to be with him so badly.

He hadn't seemed interested in her just then.

'I know' she thought. 'I'll approach it from a completely different angle! I'll confront Jen! Jen will no doubt understand, I mean, she's a reasonable girl! When I tell her how I feel, she will stop seeing Pacey and he will be all mine!' She smiled, not even wavering as she almost tripped skipping back down the hall towards her classroom.

CHAPTER 19: FIGHTING WORDS

Andie didn't find Jen until right as the final bell for sixth period rang. She caught Jen by the arm as Jen was entering her classroom.

"OW!" Jen hissed as Andie yanked her to the side.

"I'm sorry Jen, but I must talk to you!" Andie sounded very adamant.

"Andie, I have class!"

"Please! It won't take but a few minutes! It's about-"

"No, Andie," Jen stood back. Andie was starting to freak her out. Never had Andie ever laid a finger on her before. Suddenly Andie grabbed her again, now by the shoulders and gave her a few good shakes.

"Jen! We have to talk! It's important!"

Jen pulled free of her grasp, taking a few steps back.

"Andie…I said I can't right now,"

"Please, Jen!" Andie almost wailed. She was acting so desperate…Jen was appalled. She glanced helplessly from side to side, but there was no one there to save her.

"Well…I'm meeting, uh, Joey and Dawson after school…on the patio," Jen purposely left out Pacey's name. "You can meet me there. Then you can have all the time you need."

Andie's face immediately lit up.

"Great!" She said cheerfully. "I will see you then!"

Andie spun on her heels and walked at a fast pace back the way she had came. Jen looked after head, a look of confusion played at her lips. She rubbed the spot on her arm where Andie had grabbed her. She had grabbed her hard. Then she had shaken her.

What was wrong with that girl?

Andie knew then that Jen would not be on her side. As cheerful as she had acted just then, she was brooding inside. As she walked she decided that the only way she could make her point was with brute force. Andie was on a mission now…a mission of love.

After school, Joey and Jen walked along the sidewalk towards the cafeteria patio.

It was amazing at how fast the school emptied out once the final bell rang. The campus seemed almost deserted as the last few stragglers made their way to the front gate. They passed a few kids as they walked so they did not think anything of it when they heard footsteps behind them.

"Jen!" Andie called out.

Jen and Joey spun to face her.

"Oh, hey Andie," Jen said forcing a smile. She had almost forgotten about agreeing to meet with her.

"Hey, Andie." Joey said, oblivious to what had happened between the two girls in the hall earlier that day.

"So," Andie said stepping towards Jen, almost ignoring Joey, or so Joey thought. "Do you have time to talk to me now?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." Jen said. She was a little uncomfortable with how close Andie stood to her. "Like I said, we have all the time you-"

"Cut the crap, Lindley." Andie suddenly barked.

"Andie!" Joey's jaw dropped.

"I know what you're doing with Pacey, and I don't like it, not one bit!"

"Andie," Jen started, bewildered

"You need to take the backseat on this one, and let Pacey make his own decision about us!" Andie felt herself growing grossly aggressive. She took her finger and poked Jen in the collarbone.

"Look, Andie," Jen said becoming frustrated. "Pacey's a big boy, he can make up his own mind…I'm not going to-"

"Look Missy!" Andie interrupted, poking her again, harder. "I know you're used to getting your way, but not this time! Not with MY Pacey!" She advanced on Jen, poking her one last time.

"Quit touching me!" Jen screamed, swatting her hand away. Andie returned the swat with a shove. Jen shoved her back.

"Andie! Jen! Stop it right now!" Joey shouted at them.

Before anyone knew what was happening, Andie's fist slammed against Jen's mouth. As Joey tried to break it up, Jen swung back and accidentally hit Joey on the side of the face. Andie grabbed Jen's hair as Joey fell to the ground. Jen punched Andie in the jaw.

It turned into a full out brawl.

"OW!"

"HEY!"

"GET OFF ME!"

The girl's screams fell on deaf ears. There was no one else left on the patio to witness the incident.

Five minutes later, Dawson and Pacey walked along, talking guy talk. Pacey made a remark about something and Dawson laughed. Then as they rounded the corner, they found Joey, Jen, and Andie sitting on the steps of the patio.

"Hey-" Dawson started to say, his smile fading as he noticed Joey was holding the side of her face. He looked at Jen; a bloody tissue was pressed against her lip. Andie's jaw was swollen and red.

The girls sat quietly, only turning to glare at each other.

"What the hell happened!" Pacey asked.

"Have you been fighting?" Dawson exclaimed as he squatted down in front of Joey.

"No…I wasn't," Joey said, throwing a dirty look at the other girls. "But they were."

"Ow!" Dawson winced as he took her chin in his hands and looked at the bruise forming on her face. He leaned forward and kissed it lightly. Joey winced in pain. Dawson shook his head. "It's gonna hurt for a while."

Pacey stood over Jen and Andie, scratching his head. He looked upset, almost angry, but also confused.

"You two were fighting?" He asked.

"Yeah," Both mumbled. Jen touched her finger to her bloody lip, and winced.

"Why!" He demanded. He looked first at Andie then locked eyes with Jen.

"Why don't you ask her?" Jen said with a nod of her head. He gave Andie a stern frown. She stared back with wide eyes.

"Well?" He asked.

"Well…" She started nervously. She glanced at Jen and sighed. "I'm so sorry! It was all my fault! I'm the one who started it! I hit her first!" Andie hid her face in her hands. She felt so foolish.

"Andie!" Pacey shook his head in disbelief. "Why would you hit Jen?"

When she didn't answer, Jen spoke up.

"I think it had something to do with you and me…"

"How did you get involved, Joey?" Dawson asked, smoothing aside her hair.

"I tried to stop it…but I got in the way of Jen's fist." Joey looked at Dawson with doe eyes and he smiled adoringly. Jen looked at her scraped knuckles, and sighed.

"Sorry about that, Joey."

"It's okay." Joey shrugged.

"I'm sorry too, Joey!" Andie cried. "You never would've gotten hit if I hadn't of acted like such a jerk!"

"I still don't understand why you hit Jen!" Pacey said.

Andie shrugged sheepishly as her embarrassment hit home. Before she could say anything, Jen interrupted,

"It was all a big misunderstanding,"

She saw how uncomfortable Andie was becoming, and she didn't know why exactly, but she didn't want Andie to be ashamed. She took a deep breath. "I accused her of trying to come between us and…" Jen caught Joey's eyes on her. She raised her brow and went on. "And, I took it a little too far." She glanced at Andie then back at Pacey. "It just got out of hand."

"Jen...Why would you think she's trying to come between us?" He looked back and forth between the two girls. "Andie knows that me and her are just friends…Why would she have any reason to break us up? She knows I like you now…"

A look of hurt passed through Andie's eyes and she looked away.

"I know, Pacey…I was wrong." Jen looked at the ground.

Andie stood up suddenly.

"Pacey, it' okay. I think it's best if we just forget about the whole thing…" She sighed. "I'm going to go wait for Jack. Practice should let out soon…" Andie faked a smile and turned to leave. "I'll see you guys later."

She left quietly. Jen watched her go.

"Let's get you two home and cleaned up," Dawson said, helping Joey to her feet. He took her bag and held her free hand as they walked. Her other hand still clutched at her sore face.

Pacey held out his hand to Jen. Jen reached out, taking it, and got to her feet. Pacey took her books for her and put his arm around her as they followed Dawson and Joey.

He kissed the side of her head.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah," She replied.

"Good."

"What happened to your face?" Jack asked as Andie approached him on the field.

"Oh, It's a long story…" Andie groaned. "I messed up, Jack. I messed up big time."

Jack frowned as Andie started to cry.

CHAPTER 20: TAKING THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW EACHOTHER WELL

"See you guys later," Pacey said.

Dawson and Joey waived as they crossed the lawn to Dawson's house. Pacey and Jen walked down the driveway to her front porch.

Gramms wasn't home. The house was empty.

"She's still at bible study." Jen said taking off her jacket and tossing her keys on the coffee table.

Pacey came up behind her, and started kissing her neck. She spun around to face him, and kissed him on the lips.

"Ow!" She winced as her lip broke open again. A spot of fresh blood broke through.

"Let me see that," Pacey said, tilting her chin up. "Hmmn...looks pretty painful. Let's go into the kitchen where the lights better."

He took her hand and led her to the kitchen sink.

"Up here," He said, nodding to the sink. He lifted her by the waist, helping her to hop up on the counter. "There. Now we're eye level," He grinned. Jen smirked at him.

He turned on the faucet, letting the water run cold. He took a paper towel from its roll, wetting it. He wiped gently at the blood on her lip, then pressed hard against it to stop the bleeding.

"Here, hold this." He said. Jen held the towel in place as Pacey went to the freezer. He took out a tray of ice cubes and dumped them in the sink. "You have any Ziplock bags?" He asked. She nodded and gestured behind him. He turned and opened the cupboard, rummaging through it.

"They should be on the-OW! Shit!" Jen winced as the skin on her lip pulled taught.

"That's gonna hurt for a while," He warned.

"They on the tob shelv," She mumbled through the paper towel.

"Ah…The top shelf," Pacey said, finally finding them. He took a bag and filled it with ice, making an ice pack. He stood in front of Jen and as she lowered the towel, he pressed the cold bag against her mouth.

"How's that?" He asked. Jen nodded. He giggled. "Wow, Andie really got you good," He teased. Jen glared at him. "I wanted to say, I know you didn't start that fight…" Jen looked at him in surprise. "Don't deny it…I know you. You're not the jealous type." She shrugged. He bit down on his bottom lip as he looked into her eyes. "I wanted to let you know that it was a nice thing you did, trying to cover for Andie. She can be a real pain in the ass, but she's a good person. It was really considerate of you to try to make her feel better. And I think you're great for it." She half-smiled from behind her ice.

He leaned down and kissed her neck again, allowing her to take the ice.

"Mmm…" Jen mumbled.

"You like that?" He asked.

"Uh huh." She said nodding her head as she held the ice in place.

"Should I take your lip as an opportunity to do other things with my mouth?" He asked. She raised her brow.

"Maybe,"

"Maybe yes?"

"Maybe yes…"

Pacey traced his hand up her thigh, raising her skirt ever so slightly.

"Pacey?" Jen asked as he ran his hand over her knee.

"Yeah?"

"You ever done it up against a refrigerator?"

Pacey smiled mischievously.

"Why, you wanna try it?"

She smiled.

"Maybe…"

Dawson and Joey had made it half way up the stairs before their hormones got to the better of them. A trail of books led down the hallway to his room. Their shoes were tossed aside near his door. They lay on the bed kissing.

Dawson kissed her neck, making his way to her ear. He felt the smoothness of her skin, and he started to unbutton her blouse when something made him pause.

"Joey, what's wrong." He asked.

"Nothing." She said. He kissed her again, and again he paused.

"Are you sure?"

"Uh huh."

"Okay…" He started at her blouse again.

Something was wrong. Joey suddenly just didn't seem into it. Dawson sighed and sat back.

"Joey, something's wrong…" He touched her cheek. "Is your face still sore?"

"No," Joey sighed loudly. "It's not that…"

"Then what is it?"

"Bessie said something to me this morning and it's starting to really bother me…"

"Does she know about us?" Dawson asked.

"No…I mean, not exactly."

Dawson raised his brow.

"Well, what do you mean?"

She looked embarrassed for a moment, then with a little smile she finally told him.

"Bessie said when we start having…you know…sex, she wants to put me on the pill."

"That sounds like a good idea." Dawson nodded. "Why didn't you tell her?"

"Why didn't I tell her?" Joey scoffed.

"I mean, it would make things a lot easier,"

"Easier!" She snapped. "Sure! For you! You're not the one who has to deal with it! You don't have to remember to take a stupid little pill every morning and you don't have to worry about pumping your body full of hormones so you can make it easier for your boyfriend!" The icy glare he received told him he had just stuck his foot in his mouth.

"Joey!" Dawson pleaded. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way. I just thought it would be safer-"

"Well, it'd be nice to be able to atleast talk about it first before my decisions are all made for me!" She paused, looking at him. He looked so dumbfounded. Joey took a deep breath, shaking her head ruefully. "You know, those pills can really mess with your cycles…Plus you gain weight, and you get this really horrible acne…or so I've heard. That's fine if you want to have a plump girlfriend with bad skin!"

"Joey," Dawson said finally, taking her hand. "Of course we can talk about it, we should talk about it…And it's your decision to make, but I am here to help you. We're in this together."

"I'm sorry." Joey looked down. "It's just that the more I think about it…I feel so overwhelmed."

"I know, Jo. I know."

They were quiet for a moment.

Dawson took her other hand.

"Are you ready to tell Bes yet?" He asked.

"I don't know." Joey frowned. "I started to this morning…She asked me what happened, I told her we got back together…then I made the mistake of mentioning we had sex and you should have seen her! She reacted really badly,"

"What did you do?"

"I lied. I told her I was kidding and she started laughing."

"Oh."

"I don't know what to do, Dawson." She felt so torn. "I just don't know if I'm ready for this."

"Ready to tell Bessie, or ready for us?" He asked uneasily.

She answered him with a grave look.

"Okay," Dawson said. "We'll just slow down." Joey looked up at him through little girl eyes; confused and uncertain.

Dawson had seen that face a million times in his lifetime. It made him smile. Joey smiled too. He leaned forward and kissed her.

"I have to admit that it's going to be hard…stopping cold turkey."

"Well," Joey blushed. "We don't have to stop cold turkey just yet…There are other things we can do."

"Oh really?" He grinned.

"Or so I've heard." She giggled, running her finger down his stomach.

"I think I like where this is going..."

Andie waited in her car for Jack. Practice was over and Jack was still in the locker room, cleaning up.

She couldn't stop thinking about what she had caused today. She adjusted the rearview mirror so she could look at herself. The side of her jaw was starting to turn purple.

"Serves me right…" She mumbled.

"Hey, Jack!"

Jack looked up to see Henry standing at the end of the row of lockers.

"Hey, Henry." Jack said as he pulled on his socks.

"Jack, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Is that guy and Jen…?" Henry came and sat down on the bench next to him.

Here it was. Jack had wondered when Henry would say something.

"Henry…"

"But I just need to know," Henry said quietly. "Are they going out?"

"What Jen does is her own business. It's not my place to say," Jack quickly pulled on his sweater.

"But are they going out?"

Jack sighed. He didn't want to say, but Henry looked so lost. He really felt for the guy.

"Yeah…you can say that I guess."

CHAPTER 21: AN INTERESTING SITUATION…

"Oh god, that feels good!" Pacey grunted as he buried his face in the nape of Jen's neck.

"Um hmmn…" She whispered, her eyes squeezed shut and perspiration on her lips.

"Oh God!" He groaned out even louder. As he pressed his cheek against her face, he thought he heard a car pull up. His eyes opened slowly as he dizzily looked past her, through the kitchen window.

"Jen?" He whispered.

"Uh huh?" She answered between hard breaths.

"Isn't Gramms supposed to be at bible study?"

Jen's eyes flew open as she turned her head. Horror filled her as she looked out the window and saw the hood of Gramms' car in the driveway.

"Oh my god!" She squealed, pushing Pacey off of her and sliding down from the counter. She frantically buttoned her blouse as Pacey stood there, a slight frown on his face but dazed. "Don't just stand there!" Jen screamed. "Zip up your pants!"

"Uh?" He mumbled looking down. "OH!" He gasped as reality smacked him in the face.

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Jen repeatedly whispered in panic as she slipped on her shoes.

They heard the keys at the back door. "Quick! Sit down!" Jen commanded as she yanked Pacey into a chair. She slammed one of his schoolbooks down on the table in front of him. "Read!"

He flipped open to the middle of the book as they heard the doorknob turning. Jen ran her hand across his forehead to wipe away the sweat, then jolted to the sink. She grabbed a glass and filled it with water.

Pacey lowered his eyes and started reading aloud as the back door swung open. She leaned back casually against the counter and took a giant sip of water as she watched Gramms round the corner with two grocery bags in arm.

Joey lay back with her hair spread out across the pillow like a fan as Dawson lay over her, deeply kissing her. Their clothes sat in a heap on the floor. The dark room was quiet except for the sounds of their kissing and their breath.

A little frown creased Joey's mouth and she turned her head away. As her eyes fluttered opened, a little sigh escaped her before she could stifle it. Dawson raised back and looked at her helplessly, knowing something troubled her.

"What's wrong?" He whispered but she wouldn't look at him. He gently took her chin in his hand and turned her face towards him. "Joey, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," She said, twisting from his grasp and pushing him aside. She sat up and cradled her face in her hands. Her hair swung down in a shroud, concealing her face. He pushed it to the side and leaned over, kissing her on the cheek. A tear ran down before she could stop it. She started to cry.

"Joey, Joey!" He whispered, caressing her bare shoulder. "What's wrong? Tell me, I'll fix it."

"I don't think you can," She mumbled.

"Well, atleast give me a chance!"

"I don't know!" She said desperately, pushing him away. "I just don't know!" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked at him brazenly. "It suddenly seems like everything's changing!"

"Well, it is."

Joey looked at Dawson, and he could see the confusion written all over her face. He smiled, smoothing her hair back again. "Joey, everything's changed. It's supposed to. We're growing up, don't be afraid..."

"But I'm terrified, Dawson."

They stared at each other, then Joey took a deep breath. "Ever since Bes…I don't know. She just made me realize what a big step we've taken, and it's like I'm afraid to open my eyes."

"Well, open your eyes, Joey. This is life…It's not meant to scare you. Don't be afraid of life."

"But what if something happens? What if I get pregnant? I don't want to get pregnant!" Joey's voice was grew louder.

"That's why we're using condoms!" Dawson said. They looked at the wrapper on the nightstand.

"But is it really enough?" Joey shrank back, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Is it really that safe?"

Dawson laughed uneasily.

"Nothing's fool proof, Joey."

"So this fear is just supposed to eat at me? Hidden at the back of my mind until something goes wrong?"

"No-" Dawson looked at her helplessly.

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours while Dawson wondered what had changed so drastically since last night. When had so much doubt built up in her mind?

Dawson took a deep breath, his head hung low. He put his head in his hands as their relationship took a downfall.

"Joey…Put your clothes on."

Jack sat with Andie at her kitchen table. The drive there had been almost unbearably quiet, but as soon as they sat down, Andie poured her heart out to him.

"Wow, Andie. That sucks." Jack frowned at his sister.

"I know…I feel like such an idiot," She groaned.

"I'm sure they'll get over it."

"I hope so…I still hate myself for letting Jen take the blame like that…I just can't believe it!"

"I still can't believe you hit her!"

Andie sighed.

"My baby sister, the tough guy,"

"Not so tough actually. If Joey hadn't taken that first punch meant for me, I'd be in far worse shape." Andie rubbed her jaw. Jack laughed. Andie fell into a gaze for a moment, then asked absentmindedly, "So, how's Henry taking things?"

"Not as bad as you."

Andie gave him a depressed little smile. He laughed again, elbowing her lightly. "Nah, Seriously…He's heart broken. Poor guy hardly said two words to me during practice."

"I know how he feels," Andie said, pursing her lips.

"Aww, Andie." Jack smiled, putting his arm around her.

"Are you going to stay for dinner?" She asked.

"No. Gramms is at bible study and I don't want Jen to eat alone tonight."

"Hello Jennifer." Gramms said as she sat down the bags she had carried in with her. Jen took another big sip of water before she had to answer. "Well, hello Pacey!" Gramms greeted him as she rounded the table towards him. "What a nice surprise to see you here! Are you studying?"

He glanced at Jen awkwardly as Mrs. Ryan seemed to loom over him. Jen looked petrified. He looked back up at Gramms, clearing his throat.

"Um, uh yes, Mrs. Ryan." He glanced from her to his book to her again. The way she stared at him…

She knew exactly what was going on…It was written all over his face. They were dead…

"Pacey, are you feeling well?" She asked suddenly, placing her hand on his forehead. "You feel like you're running a little hot…"

"Yeah, I think I may be catching a cold."

Jen sighed in relief as she came out of hiding from behind her water glass.

"I think I have the perfect thing!" Gramms went to one of her bags and pulled out a can of broth. "Homemade Chicken soup!"

"Yum, Gramms." Jen laughed. Gramms looked at her.

"Jennifer!"

Jen froze like a deer in headlights. Gramms walked right up to her, pushing the glass of water aside and grabbing her chin.

"What on Earth…!"

Jen squeezed her eyes shut waiting for the axe to fall. "What happened to your lip?"

Jen opened her eyes as Gramms peered down at her mouth.

"Oh!" Jen said, taken aback.

"Were you fighting?" Gramms gasped, letting go of her. She stood back, arms crossed, as she waited for an explanation.

"Oh! This?" Jen laughed uneasily. "No! I wasn't fighting…" She glanced at Pacey for fighting.

"Then what happened, Jennifer! I want the truth. I will not tolerate fighting in this household-"

"She got hit by a door." Pacey said without thinking. Gramms looked back at him.

My god, the way the woman looked so exasperated about everything…

"We were walking along…" Pacey said, launching into his story. "And suddenly this door just swings open out of nowhere!" Gramms looked at Jen.

"Uh huh!" Jen said, nodding her head to corroborate his story.

"BAM!" Pacey said, smacking his hands together for effect. "Right in the kisser!"

He grinned, obviously pleased with his ingenuity to lie. Jen smiled uneasily, shrugging in accordance. Gramms gasped again.

"But what about your nose!" She asked.

Pacey's grin faded as he ran out of ideas. He panicked. Jen fidgeted for a moment under her grandmother's watchful eye, then smiled.

"I was looking up."

"You were looking up?" Gramms repeated skeptically.

"Yes. I was watching a bird."

CHAPTER 22: …SUCH AN INTERESTING GIRL

"I'm really sorry, Dawson." Joey said as she sat at the edge of his bed tying her shoes. He sat with his back to her on the edge of his bed, obviously upset at how the night had befallen.

"It's fine, Joey." He said dryly. "Don't worry about it."

She looked back at him, hushed by his insoluble manner.

"I guess I should just leave now, huh?" She asked after a moment.

"Uh, yeah. That's probably a good idea." He said looking down at his feet.

Her lip trembled as she sat still, listening as her heartbeat thud away in her chest. She regretted everything she had said earlier, now feeling like she had overreacted somehow. She wanted to explain, say she was sorry, make things right. But she knew for Dawson, it was too late. As what had happened so many times before, he had had enough of her scurrilous temperament. She had been too hasty in allowing him to take the blunt of her emotions and now she just needed to let him blow off steam, come to terms with it, before he would function again.

Why had she said all of those things? Why had she taken her fears out on him? Sometimes she felt so deaf and blind to his needs.

She stood up to go. He didn't try to stop at her.

As she got to the window, she looked back at him one last time. As he watched her out of the corner of his eye, thought how ironic is was that he was back in this situation. Eve had just left through the same window just that morning. And Joey had left through that window a million times in before.

What was he doing that was so wrong? Why did every relationship he have with women end up like this? With them climbing out his window, down his ladder, into the yard to disappear into the night.

"Joey, wait." He said as she sat on his windowsill ready to descend.

She looked up at him, surprised by his voice.

"I don't want you climbing that ladder anymore." She looked hurt as the meaning of his words sunk in. "Use the front door."

Sadness washed over her as she stood up and crossed the room to its entrance. She put her hand on the knob, and took a deep breath, holding it in as long as she could before exhaling. She opened the door, stepped out into the hall, and disappeared down the stairwell.

As soon as she had gone, Dawson, corroded by angst, fell back onto his bed and cried.

"You were lucky, Jennifer." Gramms said as she stirred the pot of chicken soup that sat simmering on the stove. "An accident like that could have broken your beautiful nose."

Jen mumbled in acknowledgement, shrugging her shoulders as she looked back at Pacey, still sitting at the kitchen table with his books before him as he watched her. She rolled her eyes and grinned as they shared a silent laugh at her grandmother's expense.

Gramms continued to speak.

"You'd better put some vitamin E oil on that so that it doesn't scar,"

"Yes, Gramms." Jen said carelessly as she bit into a stray piece of celery.

"It's a good thing Pacey was there to help," Gramms went on.

"I know, Gramms." Jen said, gazing at him. Pacey puckered his lips at her and mouthed a kiss. She smiled, raising her brow at him.

The back door clanged open as Jack rushed in.

"Gramms, didn't think you'd be home…" He said as he pulled open the fridge and took out a soda. "Hey Pace," He said, as he cracked open the can and sipped the fizz. Then he turned to Jen. "Hey, how's your lip?"

Joey walked slowly down the road towards home. It was getting dark now as she thought to herself. She still felt a little numb…the break up hadn't hit her full on yet.

She stared at the stars that appeared on the horizon as the sun melted away and the moon took over. She shoved her hands in her pockets, her backpack slung over her shoulder as she walked. She took a deep breath and felt the cool air fill her lungs. It was going to be a cool night, she thought. Better get the extra blanket out tonight…

Headlights flashed over her from behind, and she turned her head to watch the car slow as it pulled up next to her. She frowned as the window rolled down, until she saw that it was Andie.

"Hey Joey! Wanna ride?" She asked as she leaned her head out.

"Sure." Joey smiled.

She walked around to the passenger's side and got in.

The seat was still warm where Jack had sat on his way home. Andie had dropped him off just minutes ago and was heading home herself when she saw Joey walking alone.

"You know, you shouldn't walk alone," Andie said as they rode along. "It's dangerous."

"Oh come on, this is Capeside!" Joey laughed.

"But there's still all kinds of sicko's out there…"

"It's not like there's an escaped convict on the loose," Joey said. Andie shook her head.

"It doesn't take a convict to be a sicko…Look at me. I'm high on Xanax and I'm out, just riding along, enjoying myself…" She smiled, and Joey laughed.

"Well, thanks for the ride anyways,"

"No problem."

After a few moments, Andie looked over at her, a small frown on her lips.

"Tell me the truth, is everyone mad at me?" She asked.

"No, I don't think so," Joey said.

"I hope not. I am really sorry about what I did…I didn't mean to go off like that. It's just that…Oh! Why did I make such a fool of myself!" Andie clutched the steering wheel in angst. "Pacey just makes me crazy!" She gritted her teeth. "Do you know what it feels like? To be helpless when the one you love doesn't love you back?"
"I think I know the feeling," Joey mumbled, shrinking back in her seat.

"So…what were you doing walking all alone anyways? Where's Dawson?"

"Ughh…It's a long story."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No…not really. Not right now."

"Oh." Andie said, her smile fading. Then she perked up again. "Do you wanna go get some coffee or something, just to chat maybe? I could really use some company…and from the looks of it, so could you." She smiled at Joey pleadingly.

"Okay." Joey said, smiling back. "That'd be nice."

Dawson got up when he heard his father come in. He stopped at the bathroom to wash his face. His eyes were still a little red he noticed as he looked in the mirror. He dried his face on a towel, then left, turning off the light.

He went down the stairwell to the kitchen. Mitch was taking some plates out of the cupboard.

"Oh, hey Dawson!" He said setting the plates on the table. "Sorry I'm home so late, I stopped for some pizza." He opened the pizza box and pushed it towards Dawson. "I thought you'd be hungry by now."

"Thanks, Dad." Dawson said, taking a plate. Even after washing his face, his father could tell he was upset.

"What's wrong?" Mitch asked.

"Oh, the usual…" Dawson sighed.

"Oh, Joey…" Mitch said crossing his arms. "What happened this time?"

"Boy gets girl, boy makes girl mad at him, then girl leaves…The end. I don't really want to talk about it."

"Are you sure? Maybe I could help…"

"I doubt it." Dawson snickered. "Sorry Dad. I appreciate it, but like I said, I don't want to talk about it right now…maybe later."

"Okay, later." Mitch said. "For now, lets eat. I'm starved. I missed lunch today…had some tests to grade."

"You ready to order?" The waitress asked as she stood impatiently with pen in hand.

"Um, yes." Joey said. "I'll just have a cup of coffee.

"And you?" She said to Andie.

"I'll have a cup of coffee too."

"Two cups of coffee?" The waitress said sarcastically, putting her pen away. "Great, be right back with your order…"

"That was rude," Andie said as the waitress walked off.

"Must be a slow night for tips," Joey said, settling back in the booth. "I know the feeling…" Suddenly Joey remembered Alex. "Oh no!" Joey said looking at her watch. "It's 6:15, I was supposed to call Bessie and find out if I had to pick up Alex at six!"

"Go call her now…there's a pay phone by the restrooms."

"Okay, I'm sorry I'll be right back."

Joey got up and headed towards the phone.

Bessie was wiping the counter when the phone rang.

"Hello, Icehouse…"

"Bessie! I'm so sorry! I forgot about picking up Alex! I guess you're working late, huh."

"Joey!" Bessie groaned. "I am working late and Alex is at the sitter's. I told her you'd be there by six, no later! She's going to get really mad."

"I'm sorry Bes. I'm headed over there right now."

"Well, hurry! It's after six, and I can't afford to pay her overtime…You know how she is…"

"I know Bes. I'm sorry. I'll pay for it."

"With what? The money I pay you?" Bessie said teasingly.

"Fine." Joey said. "I'll work an extra afternoon for free."

"Fine."

"See ya later."

"Bye, Jo."

Joey hung up the phone and arrived back at the table just as the waitress had set down the two full coffee mugs.

"I'm sorry, can we get these to go?" Joey asked. The waitress rolled her eyes and picked the cups back up.

"Sure, why not."

CHAPTER 23: THINK LONG AND HARD

"Andie, thanks for taking me to pick up Alex…"

"Sure, no problem." Andie said as they pulled into the sitter's driveway.

"I'll be right back," Joey said getting out of the car.

Andie turned the radio on as Joey walked up the walkway to the porch and rang the bell. She tuned to her favorite radio station as one of her favorite songs came on. She couldn't remember the name of the singer, but she knew the song was called, "I Don't Wanna Wait", or something like that. She listened for a few seconds then suddenly realized the song reminded her of Pacey.

"Ew!" She said suddenly flicking it off. "I wonder why?…"

Joey rang the bell and heard footsteps coming. The door opened and Alex's sitter gave her a dirty look before turning and handing her his diaper bag.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Joey said taking the bag on her shoulder.

"Whatever," The sitter said going back inside. After a minute she reemerged with Alex. "Here." She said handing him to Joey. "Tell Bes I'll stop by tomorrow for the money."

"Sure." Joey said as she took him. "Again, I'm sorry…I would've been here sooner, but…"

"Whatever. I'll see you later."

The door was shut in her face.

"What a bitch, huh Alex?" She mumbled as she turned back down the walkway. Then she noticed the other car parked in the driveway. Her boyfriend was there…No wonder she was in such a hurry.

"Oh, shoot!" Joey said as she opened the car door. "We don't have a car seat." She slung the bag in the backseat and climbed in. "I'll just have to hold Alex on my lap…Andie, please just drive very carefully."

"I assure you that I am the most absolute safest driver in Capeside." Andie said, smiling.

"Well, okay." Joey said, holding him tightly. "Let's get him home then."

Alex gurgled as he chewed on one of his toys.

Just a few streets away from the road to Joey's house, they came to a stop sign. Andie looked both ways before crossing the dark intersection. As she passed through, she saw flashing lights in her rearview mirror.

"Oh, no." Andie said pulling to the side and turning off the engine. "What did I do wrong?"

"Oh, Andie!" Joey said, frowning. "Great! I'm going to get in trouble because Alex has to be in a car seat! This is just great!"

"Can't you just cover him up or something!" Andie said as she looked back and saw the officer approaching.

"Oh, yeah!" Joey said sarcastically. "You can't just cover up a baby!"

"Well…"

There was a knock on the glass. Andie put on a huge smile as she rolled the window down.

"Is there a problem officer?" She asked nervously.

"Andie?"

"Oh! Hello Mr. Witter! How are you?"

"Fine Andie," He said as he leaned down to the window. "You didn't come to a complete stop at that stop sign back there and-" He looked at Joey, holding Alex. "Josephine?"

"Hello, Mr. Witter." She said quietly.

"Josephine! That's very dangerous having a baby sitting on your lap like that!"

"I know sir, but there's a good explanation,"

"It's against the law,"

'Mr. Witter, please," Andie said. "Joey was in a bind, and I had to pick her up! We didn't have a carseat and there was no other way! We would never break the law on purpose! Please, it was just a case of bad circumstances, and maybe we were hasty in going about it this way, but it was a mistake!"

She looked up at him pleadingly.

"Well, but it's very dangerous…"

"We know! We know! We shouldn't have taken that risk! I promise, Mr. Witter…Scouts honor!" Andie held up her hand in oath. "We will never do it again!"

He looked from girl to girl, then nodded.

"Okay, I won't site you this time. But please, get that baby home before something happens."

"Will do, Mr. Witter! Thank you, thank you very much!"

"Your welcome," He mumbled, smiling a little at the girls. Andie turned the ignition, starting the car to go when Mr. Witter put his hand on the door. They looked up at him innocently. "One more thing…" He said with a grunt. "You don't happen to know where Pacey is, do you?"

"No," Andie said.

"Sorry, Mr. Witter," Joey lied as she looked at Andie.

"Well, if you see him, will you tell him to get his ass home for once?"

"Sure," Andie said with a nervous laugh.

"Thanks."

Andie watched him walk back to his cruiser before she pulled away. Joey exhaled in relief.

"Boy, are we lucky that was Mr. Witter…" Joey said.

"Yeah!" Andie agreed.

"Thanks for talking him out of writing me a ticket…"

"No problem. It's the least I could do after what happened at school…" Andie turned the car down the road towards Joey's house and they were there within a matter of minutes.

Joey and Alex got out of the car. Andie handed her the diaper bag.

"Thanks again, Andie…For everything."

"You're welcome, Joey." Andie smiled.

"Maybe tomorrow we can have lunch together or something."

"Oh! I'd like that!" Andie said.

"Okay! I'll see you then. Bye." Joey waived as Andie pulled out of the driveway and turned out onto the road. Then she went up the walkway to the porch, and disappeared inside the little house.

Joey dropped the diaper bag on the sofa and walked back to the baby's room.

"Well, kid…Looks like it's just you and me tonight." Alex gurgled as she took him out of his clothes and slipped him into his pajamas. She laid him back in his crib and stared down at him as he chewed on his fingers. "Oh, Alex…things are just so messed up right now…You're so lucky you're just a baby. You don't have to deal with all these silly teen issues that they throw at you." She touched his face before turning off the light and going to her room.

She changed out of her clothes and sat at her vanity brushing her hair. She sighed at her reflection.

Joey picked up a framed photo and started at it. Dawson.

What had happened between them? Why did she feel that she had been in this exact same place before? She thought about all the other nights they had spent apart, fighting, in the last two years. She thought long and hard. The problem was that they had been here before, they always ended up here…Nothing they ever did was enough to keep them together. Nothing would ever keep them together. She suddenly started to realize her feelings. She loved Dawson, she loved him with all her heart, but they were not meant to be. They had too many problems that could never be solved.

"Oh, great," She mumbled as she looked at her reflection again. "Now I'm going to cry."

"I am so relieved!" Jen said as they entered her room and closed the door. She flung herself back on the bed, and Pacey jumped on top of her.

"Me too…" He grinned.

"That was really, really intense," She giggled.

"Yes…It was."

"I thought for sure we were caught."

"Me too." His eyes flickered as he kissed the tip of her nose… "Now that your Gramms is asleep, we can begin where we left off…"

"Mmmn…" Jen sighed as he started running his hands over her. He paused, raising back momentarily.

"If we ever did get caught…Do you think that your Gramms would force us to get married in one of those shotgun weddings?" Jen giggled harder, and Pacey grinned shamelessly. "Does she even own a shotgun?"

"No, but I think she has a pretty mean turkey baster."

"Oh!" He laughed out, rolling over and falling onto his back.

"My Gramms is old fashioned," Jen laughed as she faced him. "But she's not one of the Beverly Hillbillies." They smiled at one another.

"Hmn. So, tell me Ellie Mae…" Pacey teased fingering the buttons on her blouse. "What would your granny do if she caught us in bed together?"

"Probably have a coronary."

"Then you'd better lock the door."

CHAPTER 24: A NEW DIRECTION

Tuesday came and Jen and Pacey awoke up together. The sunlight wafted through the shades as a warm day was promised.

Jen walked over to her mirror and started brushing her hair. Pacey came up behind her, wrapping his arms about her waste, kissing her cheek.

"Mornin, beautiful."

"Good morning." She grinned, dropping her brush.

"It looks as if it is going to be quite the lovely day,"

"Why, yes it does."

"And do you know why?" He asked cocking his head to the side as he watched her eyes in the mirror. She laughed.

"Because the sun is shining, the birds are singing and the smell of Folgers is in the air?"

"No, smart-ass…" He mumbled, kissing her neck. "Because I woke up with you."

"Oh, well what happened yesterday!" She laughed as she spun around to face him.

"Yesterday, I woke up drunk…I didn't know what I was gettin'." He grinned. "But this morning, I feel myself going in a whole new direction. I'm sober, and oh-so-appreciative."

"I see."

"No! I am serious! Girl, you got it goin' on…You are like the Lamborghini of highschool girlfriends…You got all the curves," He ran his hands down her hips. "And all the moves that make me scream for more…"

"So I'm your girlfriend?" She asked raising her brow.

"Pleh! Well, Yeah!" He said outrageously.

"Well, I wish you woulda told me that!" She said in a huff putting her hands on her hips. Pacey recoiled slightly, wondering if he had assumed too much again, made a mistake with 'girlfriend'…

She couldn't hold back her smile.

"If I had known I was your girlfriend, I wouldn't have held back so much!"

He looped his arm around her waist and yanked her back down on the bed. She screamed out in a giggle.

Joey walked along the road towards school, sometimes in deep thought, but mostly stuck in melancholy. She hadn't said anything to Bes about Dawson at breakfast. When Bes had asked her about him, she shrugged, smiled and pretended everything was okay. She wanted to keep it all to herself for just one more day…make it one less day she'd have to not face the inevitable.

She counted her steps absentmindedly. Despite the season and recent cold weather the sun was remarkably warm today.

'What a pretty day,' she thought. 'What a pretty day for such a crazy time in my life.'

She didn't mind it, walking alone. It gave her time to build the courage she would need when she saw Dawson again.

"Hey, Dawson. You're up early." Mitch opened the refrigerator and took out a carton of orange juice. Dawson sat at the kitchen table, eating his cereal and reading the morning paper.

"Yeah, Dad. Thought I might as well get up and get a start on my day…" His voice lacked enthusiasm and Mitch could tell he was still troubled.

"You ready to talk yet, son? I have a little time before I have to get ready for work, we can discuss it over a bowl of Raisin Bran. What do ya' say?" Mitch smiled at him as he took the cereal from the cupboard.

"Sure Dad. Why not?"

Mitch sat down, pouring himself a bowl and digging in as Dawson discussed his situation.

"See, Dad…I'm not sure, but I think I may be over her."

"I see," Mitch had not expected the news about his son losing his virginity, and he had found that it was a harder pill to swallow then he had imagined it would be. He had tried not to look surprised as he chewed his Raisin Bran, but honestly he had almost choked on it when he first heard the words fly out of his son's mouth.

"I know it was the right decision at the time, I don't regret that…It's just that I don't think we're meant to be…after this, not anymore."

"Well, maybe you should revert your relationship back a step," Mitch said as casually as possible.

"No, Dad. I mean that I don't think that me and Joey will ever work out. I think it's time to admit that we've never been good for eachother, and we never will."

"Oh,"

"Well, go back to being friends then."

"We can't dad…not after everything we've gone through."

Dawson felt this whole new revelation seize him. He knew it wouldn't make sense to anyone else, anyone else that is except for Joey. Something deep down told him that she too knew that what had transpired between them over the weekend was a crucial sign that it was time to move on…grow up, and forget the past. They were destined to move forward, but for some reason, it made sense that it was not 'together'.

"Dad…I think our lives are moving in opposite directions. I'm going to tell her, I'm not going to see her anymore.

"Dawson, are you sure-"

"Dad. I know this is the right way."

Jack walked along, following Jen and Pacey as they held hands. Pacey had eluded the suspicions of Jen's Gramms by pretending to have slept in Jack's room all night. He had slipped down the stairs to his room before Gramms could catch them together. He thought he had seen Mrs. Ryan give him a weird look when he and Jack had straggled into the kitchen together, yawning and a still in their bedclothes. Of course Jen had just laughed about it.

"You too are making me sick," Jack laughed as Pacey stopped Jen and kissed her for what might as well have been the 99th time on the way to school.

"Somebody's jealous," Pacey said grabbing Jack and planting one on his cheek. Jen erupted into laughter as Jack pulled himself away and wiped off his face.

"Ew! As if!" He scowled.

"Oh, come on, Jack!" Jen giggled as Pacey slipped his arm around her shoulder, a slight blush at the stunt he had just pulled.

"It was nice, wasn't it McPhee?" Pacey teased.

Jack blushed, still scowling.

"Are you trying to give the neighborhood something to talk about?" He jested, still wiping at his face.

"Hey, Jen!" Pacey whispered as Jack walked on ahead. "What do you say we sneak out at lunch and meet up in the woods for a little "nookie"?"

"In the woods!" She laughed.

"Yeah, why not? Then we can be as loud as we want without worrying what kind of attention we may attract."

" 'Attention'?"

"So, we may attract a couple of squirrels…and maybe a deer or two, but they'll know what's up! They know what Mother Nature's all about!"

Jen laughed.

"Pacey…"

"What???" He shrugged innocently.

"You are unbelievably sexy when you talk about forest animals."

At lunch, Andie met up with Joey and, seeing as it was such a warm day, they settled at a table on the patio to eat. Despite the lack of current events in their lives, they managed to keep off the subject of boyfriends. The swelling in Andie's jaw had gone down and it didn't hurt to chew anymore. Joey's bruise was still visible, but she had covered it with makeup and it really didn't hurt anymore.

"Hey," Jack said, sliding his lunch tray onto the table. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"No!" Andie said scooting aside.

"What's new, Jack?" Joey asked.

"Not much…Where's Dawson?"

Andie gave him a warning look, but Joey sighed and shrugged.

"I guess I might as well tell you…" She looked down sadly. "We're not together anymore, and I'm pretty sure it's for good this time."

"Oh! Joey!" Andie said. "Why didn't you tell me last night?"

"I just wanted to give it a chance to sink in, I guess."

"Are you okay, Jo?" Jack asked, forgetting his lunch.

"Yeah!" She said, putting on a brighter face. "I'll be fine…I think I've come to terms with it. You know," She tossed out an uneasy smile. "…last night I think I laid away all night thinking about everything, you know, all the stuff we've gone through since being kids, and I think that we've grown apart a lot more than we like to admit."

"Wow," Jack mumbled.

"I can't believe it's gone on this long!" Joey smiled, although they could see it was only worn to keep her from falling apart. "I wanted him for so long…I needed him, but now…it just seems like we've used eachother to be comfortable. We were afraid to let anything else in…That won't be a crutch anymore."

"I'm so sorry, Joey." Andie said.

"Oh, don't be, Andie. Don't be…" Her smile faded as she seemed to get lost in a thought.

"Well," Jack said, suddenly holding up his soda. "Here's to new beginnings…and new experiences." Andie held up hers and Joey sighed, smiling pensively.

CHAPTER 25: OVER THE WATER AND THROUGH THE TREES

"Are you sure there aren't any bugs out here?" Jen asked as she and Pacey walked through the trees.

"Well, yeah, there are bugs…but you won't notice them by the time I get through with you,"

They stopped, standing a few feet apart and locked eyes.

"Pacey, do you ever think that our relationship is purely sexual?"

"No, Jen. We have a lot more than that…"

"Oh really?" She asked.

"Yeah…sex is just the way we act it out. That's okay, right?"

"Definitely."

"We can tell eachother anything…we don't judge eachother, and we've both already been though all that other crap of playing the flirting game...I know what I want, Lindley…I don't have to play games. I know how I feel."

"Yeah…" She smiled. "I know what you mean…"

They stared at one another, taking in the moment. Pacey leaned his back against a tree.

"So…You ready for some serious down-on-the-ground out-in-the-woods lovemaking?"

"Yeah," She smiled. "But I have to pee first."

"Well, right this way, Miss…the restrooms are over here." Pacey led her to a circle of bushes. She giggled, shaking her head in wonder. "If you need me, I shall be over there." He pointed to a clearing a few feet away.

"Okay," She said, unzipping her pants.

Pacey stepped away.

"You sure there aren't any wild animals out here?" She called out still giggling.

"Only me, baby!" He replied. He looked up at the sky through overhead branches. Clouds blew overhead, and regardless of the sun, it was cool there in the shade of the trees. He looked back in Jen's direction. "You know, I can hear you, right?" He called out.

"So cover your ears!" He did as she told him.

"Nope! I can still hear you!"

"So sing something!" She said.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, anything!"

"Okay," Pacey said. He started belting out Tom Jone's lounge hit, "It's Not Unusual". Jen laughed hysterically as she pulled up her pants.

"…And when I see you out and about with anyone,

"…It's not unusual to see me cry!…I wanna die!"

As Jen reemerged from the bushes, she saw him doing this little dance that made her almost fall to her knees in laughter. He grinned in mid-song, grabbing her by the waist, and started dancing around with her. They spun and spun until, both dizzy, they collapsed on the ground.

They laughed so hard, they could barely catch their breath.

"That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done!" She sighed giddily, as she wiped at her eyes. "I don't think I've ever seen you act so…so…"

"So adorable?" He grinned.

"So weird!" She laughed. He looked hurt for a second before he smiled again. She tried to settle down, but then burst into another fit of laughter. "Are you on medication?"

"No…" he shook his head. "I'm in love with you."

She stopped laughing and looked up at him as he lay over her.

"You're in love with me?" She repeated.

"Yes, utterly and truly."

"You are?"

"Yes…I love you...I love you, I love you, I love you!" He shook a leaf out of his hair, then looked down at her again. "I love you."

"Pacey,"

"Do you love me back?"

She smiled at him slowly.

"How can I not?"

He sighed a deep breath in relief and smiled.

"I think we were meant to be together, Lindley…You know all that talk the other day about soul mates and all that? Well, I think you were talking about us."

"You do?"

"Yeah…"

She gazed up into his ice blue eyes to see if he was pulling her leg.

"Well, don't let me do all the talking…You're welcome to add you two cents." He joked.

"I'm sorry!" She said with a start. "I didn't mean to be unresponsive! It's just that…that…" She grinned. "Pacey, I fell in love with you too."

"Whew!" He said, pretending to shake sweat from his brow. "Glad that worked out!"

She reached up and took his face in her hands and pulled him down in a kiss.

"Let's never mess up on eachother," He whispered when she let him go. "I never want us to hurt eachother. Promise me you'll be honest, whatever the cost, and we can never go wrong."

"I promise."

"I have to go," Jack said looking at his watch. "I forgot I need to get a book from the library for 5th period."

"Okay, see ya later." Andie said.

"By Jack." Joey smiled faintly.

He left them alone, and Andie started to speak.

"Uh oh!" She said, looking past Joey. "Don't look now, but there's Dawson." Joey sat back in her chair, taking a deep breath and looked at the ground. She saw Andie squirm as she heard footsteps and Joey knew that he had come for her.

"Hey, can we talk?" Dawson asked as he held out his hand. She looked up at him with an uncertain stare. "Please."

She looked across the table at Andie who pretended not to be watching.

"I'm gonna go now anyway, Joey…I'll see you after class." Andie got up and walked away, disappearing into the crowd of students on the sidewalk.

Joey looked to Dawson, shrugging in retribution. She took another deep breath.

"Okay." She said.

They walked across the grassy courtyard, stopping at one of the picnic tables in an unoccupied area beneath the shade of an old tree. Dawson motioned for her to sit, and as she did, he slid onto the bench across from her.

A silent breeze tousled the hair back from their faces, and seemed expose the change taking place between them. They both felt it.

"I want to talk about this,"

"Who says I want to?" Joey asked.

"I'm not giving you a choice this time."

She stared at him, deciding if she should give in and let what be be, or should she fight it, and hold it off for another day? She closed her eyes and imagined cards being thrown into the wind. She would land wherever her life flew her and this seemed to be her turn to face the truth. She opened her eyes and felt her heart thumping in her chest.

"Start talking."

"Joey…I don't want this to be a one sided conversation…" Dawson took a deep breath inward, filling his lungs with air, before exhaling. This wasn't going to be easy. "Look, we've known each other way too long to let it just end this way, in a battle. We can do better, don't you think?"

"I thought we were really going to work out this time, Dawson." Her voice trailed off. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Dawson looked down. "I thought this time was going to be different too…"

"We must be doing something really wrong here, huh?" Joey laughed uneasily as she felt her eyes begin to tear. She didn't want to cry anymore. She didn't want to cry about it in front of him.

"Joey, I think we did everything right. I just don't know that everything is so meant to be…Not the way everyone says it is."

They stared at each other, suddenly devoid of anger or resentment. Dawson slid is shoe across the ground until it touched hers. She looked down, focussing her gaze on nothing.

"Joey, our lives are so intertwined with each other that I don't even know if we've ever given ourselves the chance at knowing anything else…"

"Dawson-" She sighed as a tear broke free. She wiped it away before it had a chance to fall "I…I…" Nothing she wanted to say would come. She looked to him for help…for understanding.

"I think we both understand…I think we both feel what's been happening." Dawson's eyes started to sting. "I mean, come on. How many times has this happened? How many times have you broken up with me? Tell me what's so different this time, me breaking up with you…" Dawson didn't wipe his tears as they ran. He let them fall. They needed to fall.

"Dawson, please understand that I never meant to hurt you." She said, finally looking at him.

"I know…It took me a long time to realize it…Two years in fact." Seeing the strength in her eyes made him suddenly capable of letting his decision out. Something allowed him to be open and free…he could be brave. "This is it Joey, this is the last time."

At that moment, she felt the pain of losing not just a childhood friend, a boyfriend, or a lover, but of losing a piece of her self. A part of her life. Something she had taken for granted for so long that it never occurred to her that it would hurt so much to lose it.

"I'm sorry, but I had to get this off of my chest." He continued.

"Don't apologize," She said when she finally found the courage to speak. He looked at her again. "Don't apologize for anything, because I wont."

He sat silent, and the only noise was of the wind tossing the leaves into the air.

"I won't lie, Dawson." Joey said wiping another tear as it slid off her face. "I'm afraid, I really am. I don't know where I'll end up, what the future holds…I always thought we'd be side by side, but now I know better. Nothing's right anymore. Everything's changed and we have new paths to walk, and they don't seem to be together."

"Joey, I want you to know that I will always love you."

Dawson's grief erupted within him and he made no attempt at holding it back from her. "You will always be a special part of me that I will never, ever regret."

"Me too," She cried quietly. "…I'll always remember what you gave me."

They sighed deeply as the leaves fell around them. They wiped their tear stained faces, and something made them laugh out quietly, together, one last time.

"I wish I could say 'let's be friends'…" Dawson said.

"We are friends," Joey finished. "We just can't know each other anymore, right?" She started to cry again and covered her hands with her face.

"Yeah," Dawson said, feeling the lump rise in his throat.

After a few moments, Joey reached up and smoothed her hair. She swallowed hard and lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Well…It's been amazing," She whispered, holding out her hand.

"Likewise." He took it and held it in his before letting go.

"I'll miss you so much," She sighed.

"I can't even begin to describe how I'll feel…"

"I'm sure I know."

They stared at their hands, no longer touching, and the breeze suddenly settled between them.

"So who's going to get up first?" She asked.

"You go ahead."

"Are you sure?" She whispered.

"Yeah…" He gave her a solemn smile. "I want to watch you walk away and not look back."

"I don't think I can," Joey suddenly gulped as new tears sprang up in her eyes.

"Sure you can." He whispered, his eyes alight with a beaming pride. Pride for Joey. Strong Joey who was no longer his.

"Okay…" She whispered.

Joey got up from the table and turned her back on the only consistency she had ever had in her whole life. He had been a part of everything for so long, and she knew tomorrow morning would be the hardest of her life: Waking up and knowing he wasn't going to be there to fall back on. Sure, they'd pass eachother in the halls, and attend the same football games, the same dances, even the same classes sometimes.

But they would play strangers. They wouldn't speak. They wouldn't think about eachother anymore. With practice, they might just succeed.

She walked away and didn't look back.

Dawson knew the love of his life was walking away, and he let her go. He knew she'd be okay. She was the toughest soul her had ever known and he was proud of her. She could survive anything, and she would survive on her own without him taking care of her. Now he only need to learn to take care of himself.

He got up and took a deep breath as he looked around. A leaf drifted down to the table and landed with a light scrape like parched paper. He picked it up, then let it fall to the ground. He walked away, not looking back.

The End