First Night on the Boat

Joey sat at the bow of 'True Love' staring out at the horizon. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the ocean, but she was oblivious to the beauty as she chewed her bottom lip and lost herself in thought. The initial adrenalin rush of a decision made and action taken had faded away and she was left with the actualities of reality.

Pacey stole quick and concerned glances at her as he crawled around the boat, getting her ready for nightfall. He didn't need to be able to read Joey's face like a book – although he could – to know something was up. He could also take a pretty good stab at what exactly it was.

He sat down gently beside her, but she didn't appear to notice. "Any pirates on the horizon?" He almost made her jump, but not quite.

"What?" She snapped out of her dream-like state almost as if she'd never been in it. "Oh," she laughed and then shrugged. "Can't see any." Her smile was sweet and went some way to removing the knot of nerves that had been bothering Pacey's stomach since they had left Capeside.

"Well that's your job, Potter; look out for pirates, and if you do happen to spot any, scare them off." He looked at her with the serious face he acquired when a joke demanded it. She grinned back at him.

"What with, Pacey, my awful breath when I haven't brushed my teeth for a week?"

"Yes," he nodded firmly. "Exactly that."

They both fell silent for a few moments as Joey resumed biting her lip, this time staring at the boat's deck.

"What's up, Jo?" Pacey eventually asked with resignation.

She looked up at him and answered too quickly, "Nothing. Nothing's up, Pace."

"Yes, there is, Jo. C'mon, tell me," he almost pleaded.

She sighed, rubbed her knees anxiously and knew he wouldn't give up. "Well," she started, gesticulating angstily with her hands. "What am I doing here, huh?" She looked at him questioningly with wide brown eyes. "In the middle of the ocean on a boat you weren't even sure was sea-worthy a couple weeks ago. No change of clothes. No toothbrush. No food. No way of contacting anybody! I mean, anything could happen, Pacey, we could drown and never be found. We'd end up on one of those missing persons' shows. Missing presumed dead! And..." She stopped as he reached over, gently took her hand and held it between his. He looked into her eyes reassuringly.

"It's going to be fine. We're going to be fine." Knowing that his confidence in things sometimes wasn't enough for her, he explained further, "She's sea-worthy. I've tested her extensively. Plus, my skills as a master craftsman should not be under-estimated! I have plenty of clothes and whilst my choice in shirts might be a little, shall we say eccentric? You can wear a couple 'til we get to the next port." Her face relaxed a little as he counter-balanced her fears. "I even bought a brand new, never-used toothbrush in honour of this epic voyage – you can use that and I'll get another one when we're land-bound."

"What will you use 'til then?" Joey asked. Pacey held up his index finger with a grin. "Eww, gross!" She wrinkled her nose. "Well, no kissing 'til your oral hygiene improves."

Pacey's face lit up. "There's gonna be kissing then?"

Joey grinned, "Maybe," she nodded slowly.

"Well then what does anything else matter?!" He grabbed her and brought her into him for a kiss.

It was fevered and full of relief, punctuated with smiling and laughing until they had to stop.

"I'm also under strict instructions to ring the loving homestead whenever I'm on dry land – who knew they cared, right? - so you can call Bessie at the same time." He hesitated. "And anyone else you might want to speak to." It was Pacey's turn to chew his bottom lip, the taste of her still lingering.

"Like Dawson you mean?" She glared at him accusingly as Pacey looked at her. "Well someone had to say it!"

"Yeah, like Dawson," Pacey replied, annoyed that they had broached the subject so soon after setting off.

The sun had sunk below the horizon now and the moon was behind Joey. He couldn't read her expression in the dim light, but her eyes had definitely lost some of their sparkle. She shivered ever so slightly.

"What am I supposed to say to him?" she wondered quietly, more to herself than Pacey.

"Tell him the truth," he answered. "It's the only way any of us are gonna get through this." He took her hand again and felt how cold she had become. He pulled her close and put his arm around her as she rested her head on his shoulder. Their shape morphed into one and silhouetted against the moonlight.

Sat here on the deck of the boat he had restored himself, with his arm around the girl he had fought long and hard for, Pacey couldn't help but feel proud of himself. He'd spent so long letting other people, and fate or laziness, decide his path in life; but now? He'd worked for what he had right now. He'd put himself on the line and got what he wanted in return, and it wasn't often that happened in his life. He smiled to himself, but then retracted it, still not able to believe he deserved his good fortune.

Joey sighed contentedly, comfortable in the arms of someone she'd spent too long pushing away. The past couple of years that she'd spent looking for something, unsure of what it was, seemed almost comical now that she'd finally realised it was there all along. In the form of Pacey. He epitomised freedom, fun, and joy and adventure. And an excitement she'd never felt around anyone before. This was a grown-up love affair that gave her butterflies thinking about the possibilities.

Pacey kissed the top of her head and she looked up at him. "Time for bed?" he asked. Joey nodded happily.