Consequences
Disclaimer: I lay no claim on Dawson's Creek or any of its characters.
Summary: Season 2 – Joey confesses to Dawson that while being his girlfriend, she slept with Pacey. Oneshot.
A/N: Warning – this is nothing like my other stories. I wrote it to let off some pent up anger and frustration. I got the idea from something that's happening in my family but just as a note, the ending did not happen in real life – that part is solely from my imagination.
Joey rowed her boat over to Dawson's dock. She tied up and slowly climbed out. She made her way to the ladder – at the top, inside the window was the man she loved, the man she betrayed and he was waiting for her. Joey slowly rose up the ladder – one, two, three rungs until she reached the top. She stepped off and went inside.
As soon as Dawson saw her, his whole face lit up and he smiled. "Hey Joey!" He rose to meet her. "I missed you." He wound his arms around her slender waist and leaned in to kiss her but she pulled away. Dawson looked at her, questioning her actions with his eyes.
"Dawson, we need to talk."
"Okay," he replied slowly. He stood in front of her as she looked up into his eyes before jerking her gaze right back to the floor. She couldn't face him, she couldn't face this.
"This isn't easy to say…" she folded her fingers into each other. "Dawson, I-I slept with Pacey."
Dawson's silence was expected but after he failed to speak for several minutes, Joey became nervous and began to ramble. "It was just an accident, a one time thing. It didn't and doesn't mean anything to me. I don't want to hurt you but you need to know… the guilt is eating me up inside."
"So you don't even care what I think, you're only here to clear your own conscience?" Dawson spat out.
"What? No."
"When?"
"Huh?"
"When did you sleep with my best friend?" he yelled.
"A few weeks ago."
Dawson threw his arms into the air and walked toward his door. Joey spun around to speak again. "Dawson, I'm sorry. It just happened. It meant nothing – it was a mistake! I love you!"
"I find that hard to believe because obviously I don't mean that much to you if you slept with my best friend."
"Can you please stop saying that?"
"Why? It's true. You did sleep with my best friend didn't you?"
"Yes! I did! But you don't have to keep reminding me! I'm sorry! It was a mistake! How can I make you understand that?"
Dawson didn't answer. He walked toward her and pushed her toward the window. "Get out!"
"Dawson…"
"No, leave. Get out of my sight. I never want to see you again. You disgust me."
Joey knew she wouldn't get through to him now – he was too hurt. She climbed through the window, mumbling, "I'm sorry – I'll see you." She jogged toward the dock but turned back when she heard a crash.
Dawson had pushed the ladder down and was standing on the roof looking off. He walked to the edge, stood as straight as a soldier and, before Joey could react, leaned off.
Joey screamed his name but was frozen to that spot. He hit the ground with a sickening thud. Joey ran over to him, calling his name but it was too late. Her best friend, soul-mate and lover was dead and it was all her fault.
THE END