Title: True love
Author: hweasley
Pairing: Pacey/Joey; Dawson/Joey
Summary: This takes place after A Cinderella Story Pacey decides to tell Dawson what happened between him and Joey.
AN: I am re-writing this chapter. It's the same content but corrections to my typos and errors.
Chapter 1:
Pacey was digging around on the ground in the woods. Dawson is off in the distance sitting by himself. Pacey unearths a box and grins broadly. "Dawson! Hey! Check it out, man." Dawson comes over and sits next to Pacey.
"God, I completely forgot about this." Dawson exclaims with a smile. They dig through the box – laughing. "A ticket stub from the first time I saw Jurassic Park. And 2nd and 3rd…"
Pacey rolls his eyes, "That's just sad man." He said.
"Tell me about it." Dawson muttered.
Pacey holds up a pocket knife, "Hey, check this out. It's Deputy Doug's pocketknife. You know, my dad never found the evidence, but he still gave me the spanking of a lifetime. Go figure."
Dawson pulls out a faded photograph and looks at wistfully, "Oh my God, look at this. Picture of me and little Joey Potter. Look at how beautiful she was, even then. We had no idea." He said sounding a little sad.
Pacey took the photograph from his friend, "We must have been deaf, dumb and blind not to notice." He rubs his thumb lightly over Joey on the picture.
Dawson pulled out another piece of paper and held it out to Pacey, "what's this? Secret code of Pacey Witter and Dawson Leery, Do you remember this? You drew this up the day..." He said.
Pacey nodded, "...the day we became blood brothers." He finished for Dawson.
"Yeah. It's our oath of loyalty." Dawson said.
"Yeah" Pacey replied.
"This is great. I can't believe you found this. Isn't it weird how you can put your friendship with somebody in a box, bury it and completely forget about it?" Dawson told him.
Pacey didn't know what to say this little trip down memory was starting to make him feel uncomfortable. He was remembering why it was he wanted to bring Dawson out here in the first place. He was suppose to be telling Dawson about Joey but it was becoming increasingly harder to find the nerve to bring up the subject of his burgeoning feelings. He decided for now at least the angsting could wait.
Joey was standing in the kitchen trying to heat up a can of soup while day dreaming when a knock at the door abruptly pulled her from her reverie. She placed a lid on the soup pot and tentatively went to the door hoping that maybe- just maybe- it was Pacey waiting on the other side.
Disappointment set in slightly when she saw Jen Lindley instead. Joey smiled trying to hide her disappointment, "Hi, what bring you to my neck of the woods?" she asked.
"Can I come in?" Jen asked.
Joey nodded and stood back to let Jen inside, "Absolutely," she said.
Jen walked inside and Joey followed while shutting the door behind her. The girls stood in silence for a few minutes. Finally Jen cleared her throat. "Henry is having a birthday party and he didn't invite me." She said.
"That sucks," Joey replied.
"Yeah and I am pissed and a little lonely and I thought maybe you and I could have a little griping time together." Jen replied.
Joey shrugged, "I guess. Yeah, I don't have any plans tonight." Joey said. She nodded to the stove, "I was in the middle of putting together some haut cuisine in the guise of Campbell's minestrone. If that doesn't get your taste buds going I could also whip up so macaroni and cheese."
Jen laughed, "Mac and cheese sounds fantastic." She said.
"Want some soda and pretzels to tide you over?" Joey asked.
Jen nodded and took a seat at the table. Joey poured 2 glasses of soda and grabbed a bag of pretzels from the cabinet. She threw herself into the chair across from her friend. "So, Henry's birthday…?" she said.
Jen rolled her eyes, "All I can think is he is embarrassed of me or something." She said.
Joey snorted, "I doubt that." She said. "That boy is crazy about you."
Jen shrugged and stared at the table for a long moment. She looked back up with a smile that said she wanted to change the subject. "What about you? Any gripes? Any problems?" she asked.
Joey felt dizzy for a moment and a little paranoid, "No. What do you know?" she asked.
"Nothing." Jen said looking a little concerned. "But now I think there is something to know." She fixed Joey with a look. "Spill Potter."
Joey shook her head, "Nothing to tell." She said.
Jen sat there for a moment and then the light bulb seemed to come on instantly. "Is this about Pacey?" she asked.
"He told you?" Joey yelled. "He told you about the kiss?"
Jen smiled, "No, he didn't." she said.
"Then how did you know about the kiss?" Joey demanded.
Jen laughed, "You just told me." She said.
Joey paled, "Whatever you do you cannot tell anyone what I am about to share with you." She said.
Jen made an x across her chest with her fingers, "Cross my heart and hope to die." She said.
"Ok, here is what happened…" Joey started.
Pacey was lying awake in the dark staring at the stars when he heard Dawson call his name.
"Pacey, are you awake?"
"Wide awake, yes. What's up, man?" Pacey said.
"It finally occurred to me the one thing in my life that hasn't lost its luster over time. My friendships. I mean, I might be unsure about a lot of things in my life, but I'm always going to be sure of you. And Joey." Dawson said.
Pacey felt the color leave his face and was glad Dawson couldn't get a good look at him. "Me and Joey, huh?" he asked.
"Yeah. I mean, you're pure loyalty. You're still that same guy who drew up that oath we took when we were kids. Still the guy who'd do anything for a friend." Dawson replied.
Pacey was touched by Dawson's faith in him but it was making him feel like a first class schmuck. "And Joey?"
"My conscience. My soul mate. My inspiration. Point is, I'm really glad to have you guys in my life. I'd be lost without you." Dawson said.
Pacey felt the need to correct Dawson's incorrect assessment of his place in the world according to Dawson Leary, "You know, if I'm loyalty, Dawson, it's only because you cast me in the role. You're a storyteller, you know? You see everything and you figure out what it means. You see the look on those kids faces as you were telling that story tonight? How caught up they were. You're the guy who builds this fantastic world. You just let the rest of us live in it." He told him.
"These days it doesn't feel so fantastic." Dawson said.
"It will, bro." Pacey assured him.
"How do you know that?" Dawson asked.
"I just do." Pacey replied.
"And you…?" Dawson asked. "How is the wonderful life of Pacey Witter these days?."
Pacey cleared his throat, "My life is boring. School and stuff… you know the usual."
Dawson nodded, "And of course you're also a super hero."
"A super hero?" Pacey questioned. "What are you talking about Leary?"
"Saving the Potter sisters from financial ruin." Dawson chuckled. "I know I have said it before but thanks Pace for looking after Joey this year." He paused, "But I actually think you have enjoyed it."
"Why… Why would you- what makes you think…?" Pacey stuttered. "What makes you think that?"
"Oh come on Pace." Dawson said. "Nobody goes as far as you did for a favor to his best friend. I think you really have become close to Joey. I think you actually care about Joey and her family."
Pacey didn't know how to respond he opened his mouth but no words came out. This was the moment. If he was ever going to tell Dawson about Joey then now would be the time to do it. "Look Dawson," Pacey started.
Dawson looked concerned at Pacey's change in demeanor. "What?" he asked.
Pacey ran a hand through his hair and said, "Ok, you're right." Pacey said. "I do care about Joey. A lot."
"Good." Dawson said. "I am glad. I want you and Joey to be friends. I like that Joey and you have found common ground outside of me."
"Do you mean that?" Pacey asked. "Do you really mean that?"
Dawson raised his eyebrows, "Sure. Yeah, of course I mean it." He said.
"Good because I have something to tell you Dawson and I am scared." Pacey said. 'I am scared that you will hate me and I will lose your friendship-which to be honest is more important to me then the relationships in my family. You have been there for me more than anyone and I need you in my life."
"Pacey, are you trying to ask me out or something?" Dawson teased. "Because to be honest man you're not my type."
Pacey shook his head, "it's about Joey and me."
"Joey and you…?" Dawson echoed looking bewildered.
Pacey felt himself chickening out but pushed forward before doubt and insecurity could slow him down. "Well, when you asked me to watch out for Joey I saw it as a chore but slowly it started to feel different. Joey and I became friends and I stopped doing it for you. I started to help Joey because she meant something to me. "Pacey paused to gage Dawson's reaction. He couldn't. Dawson was watching him and listening intently but his face appeared blank. So Pacey just went on with his story. "I woke up one day and realized I was developing feelings for her. I tried to push them away and I tried to deny them but I couldn't."
"Feelings for Joey?" Dawson asked. "Romantic?"
"Yeah. I am in love with Joey." Pacey replied.
"So," Jen said taking a bite of her mac and cheese. "What did you feel when Pacey kissed you?"
"Nothing," Joey said. "Nothing- except overwhelming anger towards him. I mean how selfish can he be, right?"
"Right." Jen agreed. "But…"
"But?" Joey repeated. "There is a but?"
"Yes, there is." Jen said. "Joey- he loves you and he was trying to tell you that. He did it in a very Pacey way. "
"Still if Dawson ever found out." Joey said.
"Ok, stop hiding behind Dawson." Jen said. "Joey, how do you feel about Pacey. Because from what I can tell a girl doesn't get so up in arms from a kiss that means nothing. The opposite of love isn't hate it's apathy. If you had no feelings for Pacey you would have just told him that not physically assaulted him."
Joey sat there staring for a minute. The truth in Jen's words overwhelmed her for a moment. "Maybe I felt something." Joey admitted. "But is whatever feelings that kiss stirred up enough of a reason to trash my oldest friendship?"
"Trash it?" Jen asked. "Really? You think this would trash it?"
"Dawson would feel so betrayed and so angry." Joey said. " He would be furious with me."
"Yes, he would." Jen agreed. "But if Dawson truly loves you , and he does, then one day he will get past it. He will forgive you and Pacey. He will understand what it feels like to be faced with a tough decision and make a hard choice."
Joey shook her head, "No way. Dawson isn't that together."
"He is human." Jen insisted. "He will put his mad face on for a while but he will always care for you. He will come around."
Joey didn't know what to say so she sat back in her chair and stared at her soup. Was Jen right? Did she owe it herself to explore this thing with Pacey?
"Dawson…?" Pacey prompted. The quiet was making Pacey uncomfortable. He needed Dawson to say something even if he was calling Pacey something obscene.
"Pace, I don't know what to say." Dawson said. "How does that happen? How do you fall in love with someone that you hate?"
"I wish I could tell you man." Pacey replied. "I tried to figure out how I got here but…" Pacey shrugged. "It just happened."
"No," Dawson said. "You don't just fall in love with your best friend's ex-girlfriend. I-" Dawson trailed off shaking his head. "Have you talked to Joey about this? Does she know how you feel? Does she-" Dawson looked sick. "Does she feel the same way?"
Pacey took a deep breath, "I am not sure. We haven't really talked about it. I think she knows how I feel." Pacey said. "But, she seems more confused than anything."
"I know the feeling." Dawson said. "Look, can we just sleep on this? I need time to think and sleep and tomorrow…" he paused. "We will talk about this more tomorrow."
"Yeah," Pacey said as he watched Dawson turn over in his sleeping bag. He did the same and tried to close his eyes. He felt better after telling Dawson the truth but he still couldn't sleep.