Friend or Foe

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Summary: P/J: What if Dawson had taken a swing at Pacey in "Show me Love".

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Chapter 1

"What are you trying to prove?" Pacey's questioned Dawson.

"Just trying to help Joey" Dawson replied turning around to face Pacey.

Pacey chuckles in unbelief "sure," he then jumped over the wooden railing between him and Dawson and walked up to him.

"Look man why don't you just take a swing at me. Honestly it will save us both a lot of time and energy. We don't have to involve our friends…" Pacey says to him.

"Or our families" Dawson says angrily to him.

"You think indulging in some James Dean meets Greased Lightnin' fantasy is gonna prove that you're a better man than me?" Pacey asked him.

"I don't have to prove that. You made that clear when you moved in on Joey." Dawson answered.

"For the last time Dawson, I'm sorry. I thought you of all people could understand falling for Joey Potter." Pacey replies.

"You actually think you have something real with her?" Dawson questions him.

"If I do it is because of her own free will." Pacey replies.

"You really think a couple of confused weeks can compare to the lifetime of history between us." Dawson questioned.

"Do you really think that you can hang on to that beautiful woman by some selfish automaton?" Pacey questioned back.

"Answer my question Pacey, do you really think you can compete with history?" Dawson persisted.

"Some history, 15 years of watching PG movies followed by another year and a half of pretending to be grown up only to drop each other at the first big crisis. Honestly, and you call this woman your soul mate." Pacey answered and before he could react Dawson's fist connected with his jaw forcing him to take a couple of paces back.

Touching his lip with his right hand he noticed it was bleeding. "I deserved that" he said to Dawson who them swung his fist at him again catching Pacey prepared this time and he blocked Dawson's punch. Dawson then grabbed Pacey by his shirt and threw him to the ground. Once he was on the ground Dawson held his shirt with his left hand as his right hand balled in a fist punching Pacey against his head continuously.

Still a bit stunned Dawson was actually fighting him Pacey recovered and pushed Dawson off him. "Calm down Dawson I don't want to fight you but I will if you leave me no other choice." He said to him.

Dawson fell on his ass and looked at Pacey his eyes showing complete rage for him. "She is mine Pacey! You can't have her!" He yelled at him and stormed at him just as Pacey was getting up. Dawson tackled him to the ground and Pacey's head banged hard against to wood. Then everything went black before Pacey's eyes.

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'I wonder what is keeping him.' Will looked around the dock at where True Love lay docked. Pacey still hadn't shown up. They were supposed to check everything was ready before the big boat race tomorrow.

'I'll just go look for him.' Will wondered as he wondered away from True Love in search for him.

"Pacey? Is that you? You haven't been drinking, have you?" Will asked as he recognized a figure laying still on the dock ahead of him. "Pace?" he asked when he got no response.

Will ran up to him and saw his face full with bruises and some blood. His eyes were closed. "Shit! Pace wake up!" Will told him. "Pace! Crap!" Will cursed and checked his pulse relieved to find one. He fished his cell phone out of his pocket and called 911.

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Some time later Will arrived in the ambulance with Pacey at the hospital.

As they rolled him out of the ambulance and a doctor came up to meet the paramedics. "Victim was found unconscious, looked like he got into a fight with someone. May have some head injury." One of the paramedics said to the doctor who nodded examining him as they rolled him further into the hospital. "Is he going to be ok?" Will asked.

The doctor looked at him briefly "We're going to do what we can, please stand back and let us work on him." Then to the nurses "Let's take a CAT scan-" Will didn't hear the rest because he was held back by a nurse as they rolled Pacey through double doors. "Are you family?" the nurse asked him.

Will shook his head gulping "No, not by blood but he's like my brother." He told the nurse who nodded. "Can you contact his family. They need to be informed." She said calmly to him.

"I already called his brother Doug. He said he would call his parents and come right over." Will found himself saying still not quite believing he was here in the hospital where they were working on his best friend. And he didn't even know if he was going to make it. "I should call his friends though." Will said to her and walked over to the phone.

Ring ring

"Jack Mcphee" a voice answered the phone.

"Hello?" the voice called again.

"Jack, it's Will." Will said finding his voice again.

"Oh hey Will, I'll get Andie" Jack said.

"Jack, that's not why I'm calling." Will said quickly before Jack would get off the phone.

"Oh, ok, why are you calling then?" Jack asked him.

"It's…it's Pacey Jack." Will told him.

"Pacey? What about Pacey? This doesn't have anything to do with tomorrow's sail boat race bec-" Jack started but Will cut him off.

"Jack, Pacey is in the hospital. Someone beat him up pretty bad, he was unconscious when I found him. They're working on him right now."

Silence was coming from the other end.

"Jack?" Will asked after a while.

"I'm here. Jack replied. "Just…processing it…have you called the others yet?" Jack asked.

"No just his brother, he was going to get his parents and come right over." Will asked.

"Alright, I'll tell Andie and call Jen, Joey and Dawson." Jack said.

"Dawson?" Will said anger rising within him. "For all we know Dawson is the one who put him in there!" Will said angily.

Jack was silent on the other end, considering it. Then shook his head. "No, Dawson couldn't have done this. Yes he was angry at Pacey but he wouldn't do this to him. They've been friends forever."

"I know they have been friends forever Jack but I still think it could be him. I'm not sure what Dawson is capable off if he doesn't get his dream. Him and Joey." Will told him.

Jack thought about his words and then said "Look, if he is guilty Will. He can't hurt him anymore with his friends and family there. Let's just not draw conclusions until we have to facts to back them up."

"Maybe you're right…I see Doug and Pacey's parents come in. I gotta go" Will said.

"See ya soon Will" Jack said hanging up the phone.

"Doug!" Will called as he had hung up the phone and walked over to him and Mr. and Mrs. Witter.

They met him halfway "How is he?" Mrs. Witter asked him.

"I don't know, they said something about possible head injury while they took him in there." Will told them.

John Witter nodded and walked over to the reception. "Pacey Witter, he was taken in with possible head injury."

The nurse at the reception typed the name into the computer while asking "you the father?"

"Yes" he said to her.

"Your son has been taken into surgery, the doctors are still wo-" the nurse stopped as a man came up to them.

"Mr. Witter?" he asked.

John nodded "yes, how is he?" he asked.

"Well your son had some internal bleeding ins-" he was cut off by Doug.

"Is he ok?" he asked.

"That is up to him. He has slipped into a coma after surgery. It is up to him when he wakes up but I'm afraid that the longer he is in the coma the less likely it is that he'll wake up." The doctor informed the group.

Mrs. Witter began to cry as she grabbed her husband for support.

"Can we see him." Will asked.

"Family only. And one at the time. He's in room 315" The doctor answered him.

"Alright thank you" John Witter said to the doctor who nodded and headed off.

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"Was that Will?' Andie asked as she walked in the kitchen having caught his last few words.

"Yeah…Andie sit down for a second, will ya?" he asked her.

Andie looked at him confused as to why but did as he said. "Did he break up with me through you?" she asked him.

"What? No Andie look, something has happened. Will just called to tell us someone beat up Pacey and left him unconscious. He isn't sure how he is doing. They're at the hospital right now." Jack told his sister who looked at him letting the shock of this process in her brain before she jumped up from her chair.

"Come on Jack we have to go to him." Andie said.

"Yeah I know, I just have to call the others first and then we'll go." Jack said to her as he took the phone of the hook again and dialed Jen's number.

"Hello."

"Jen, hi it's Jack."

"Jack hi, what's up?" Jen's vice sounded from the other end.

"I've got some bad new Jen, someone beat up Pacey. Pacey's in the hospital, Andie and I are going there right after I call Joey and Dawson." Jack said to her.

"Is he ok? Do you think Dawson…"Jen asked him.

"I don't know, on both accounts. Will seems to think he's capable but…I don't know. I don't want to draw conclusions without facts supporting them." Jack answered.

Jen was silent for a moment then said "do you have a ride? Grams and I can pick you up. I can even ask Dawson along. I mean he's not going to do anything to me. If he was the one doing that to Pacey."

"No, I'm good, I'll take dads' car and maybe pick up Joey if she needs a ride. You be careful with bringing this to Dawson then. I don't know how he'll react to it." Jack told Jen.

"Don't worry about me Jack, I'll be fine." Jen replied.

"Ok, I'll see you at the hospital then. Bye" Jack said.

"Bye" Jen said hanging up.

Jack hung up as well and turned to glance at Andie who was pacing nervously around the kitchen. "He'll be fine Andie. He's strong." Jack tried to soothe her nerves.

She shot him a nervous smile. "I know, I just want to get to him, you know?"

Jack nodded "ok, I'll call Joey from the car, Jen and Grams are telling Dawson and see if he was to ride along with them." Jack informed his sister who only half listened and was already on her way to the car.

In the car Jack called Joey's number with his cell phone as he drove towards her house.

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Ring ring, "Joey can you get that?" Bessie's voice called.

Joey grumbled but answered the phone.

"Potter bed & breakfast" she said through the phone.

"Joey, it"s Jack. Something has happened, Pacey is in the hospital. Andie and I are on our way to pick you up on our way there." Jack said to her.

"Wha- what? Hospital? Is he ok?" Joey asked.

"We don't know, Will found him unconscious after…" Jack paused not sure if he should tell her this. "Someone beat him up and left him unconscious" He then said to her figuring she should know.

"What? Who?" she asked him.

"I don't know" Jack replied honestly. "we're almost at your house so I'm gonna hang up." Jack said driving up to the Potter B & B.

"Ok" Joey said hanging up herself.

She quickly grabbed a note and a pen and wrote a note for Bessie before running outside to the Mcphee's car.

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"Dawson, you here?" Jen's voice called as she opened the front door of the Leery house, Grams was behind her.

"Jen, this isn't a good time" Dawson said as he came down the stairs wearing different clothes then earlier today.

"Well neither is the news I got for you." Jen said to him.

"If this about Pacey, don't bother." Dawsons cold voice said.

"Dawson, Pacey is in the hospital. You're his best friend, I know you have your problems with him but he needs you right now." Jen told him

Dawson looked at Jen shocked, he had been so angry with Pacey that he had beaten him up pretty bad but he hadn't meant for him to go to the hospital…or did he? Somewhere he might have wanted that at that time. He had even left him there.

"Come on, Grams and I are taking you with us to the hospital." Jen said to him.

Dawson led Jen lead him to Grams' car still in the shock that he might lose his best friend because of what he had done.

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The entire car ride over to the hospital Jack had been dodging questions from Joey and Andie about how this could have happened and who could have done this. Both Andie and Joey seemed to exclude Dawson as suspects but Joey instead had suggested Pacey's father. Andie seemed to silently agree with Joey. He on the other hand kept repeating himself he didn't want to draw conclusions without facts to back them up.

Just as they reach the hospital parking lot Andie said "You don't think Dawson could have…" she didn't finish her question but looked at Joey whom had known him the best out of the three of them.

"We're here" Jack said saving Joey from answering to Andie and instead letting Joey think it over as they walked to the reception area of the hospital.

Will noticed Jack, Andie and Joey walking up to the reception. "Hey" he greeted them and Andie hugged him tight. He put his arms around her trying to calm her although he wasn't all that calm himself.

"How is he?" Joey asked Will as Andie broke apart from him.

"They had to do surgery and afterwards he slipped into a coma." Will informed them.

"Will he wake up?" Jack asked him.

"The doctors said it was up to him. They also said the longer it takes for him to wake up the less likely it is that he will." Will answered.

"You mean he might never wake up?" Andie asked him.

"It could be, but Pacey is strong I'm sure-" Will stopped as he saw Dawson enter with Jen and Grams. Anger flared up in his eyes and Dawsons eyes connected with him and he knew, he knew Dawson was the one who put Pacey here.

Will left the small group behind him and walked up to Dawson who looked at him guilty and then averted his eyes to the ground. When Will reached he grabbed him by the shirt and yelled "look at me you son-of-a-bitch!" Dawson didn't. "Will what are you" Andie asked him from behind him. "I said look at me!" Will yelled. Dawson did and Will could easily read the guilt in his eyes. Will released him restraining himself from beating him into a bloody pulp.

"You'd better get yourself a damn good lawyer Dawson, because you're going to go to prison for a long time. Minor or not." Will said to him.

"Dawson is this true?" Joey asked him. "Did you put Pacey in there?" she yelled her voice filled with anger and pain.

"I…we were talking and I just lost it. I lost control Joey." Dawson tried to explain tears that had been forming in his eyes now rolling down his face. "I didn't mean to put him in here. I just want to make him hurt, hurt as much as he was hurting me by trying to steal you away from me."

Joey was shaking her head no, no this couldn't be. Then something inside her just snapped and she flung herself at Dawson trying to hurt him as much as she was hurting now. She was however restrained by Jen and Jack after a good punch against his jaw. "YOU SELFISH ASSHOLE HOW COULD YOU DO THIS!" she yelled trying to break free from Jen and Jack's hold on her.

"I did it for us Jo" Dawson said to her.

Having calmed down slightly Joey's eyes still blazing fire as she said "There is no more us Dawson, no friendship and certainly no relationship. And I swear if you come near me or Pacey I will put you in that bed!" she said.

Grams had slipped away from the group of teenagers and now returned with Sheriff Witter and Deputy Doug.

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A few days later, Joey sat by his bed holding his hand. "Please Pace, wake up. I need you. You can't leave me now that I realized that I love you. I think I always have in a way. Ever since we met. All that bickering between us had just been something to cover up these feelings we have for each other. This entire year has been about moving forwards. I have been scared to do that but not you. You challenged me every step of the wa-y." she felt him stir and looked up at him. His eye were open and he was looking at her with those stormy blue eyes.

"Jo? " he asked confused as though why she was here.

"Pacey, thank God" Joey said and leaned up to kiss him briefly on his lips.

"What's going on?" he asked her.

"You don't remember?" she asked him. "Dawson fought with you and left you unconscious with internal bleeding. Will found you and called 911. You're in the hospital Pace. You've been in a coma for 3 of the longest days of my life."

Remembering now he took her hand in his and said "Did I dream that stuff you said to me before."

He was looking at her hopeful that now that he was awake she wouldn't take it all back.

"No" she said smiling slightly "I love you Pacey J. Witter with all my heart. Without you I'm not alive."

She saw the smug smile on his lips and said smiling back "Come here you" she kissed him softly on his lips not wanting to hurt his still healing lips as she did.


TBC on requests.