Joey sat on the front of true love and looked out at the coastline that she had called home for past 17 years everything had changed over the past 8 months she had fallen in love with the last person she ever thought she could love Pacey Witter her best friend best friend. He had spent so long being a pain in her ass and her for him yet something had drawn them together and she finally found a place to call home in the arms that were currently wrapped around her. A voice broke the peaceful sound of the waves lapping against the hull.
"you know it's not too late to turn back. We can sail the seas and learn the lessons that life has to offer who needs school anyway" Pacey smiled as he kissed her neck
"I happen to like school and one day I would like to go to college and we can't avoid life forever we have to go back and face it" Joey smiled turning round to face Pacey
"so I was right when I called you a nerd" Pacey laughed as he pulled them to their feet
"well at least I can get an A without sleeping with a teacher" Joey teased back.
"who says I can't" Joey gave Pacey a serious look "ok I haven't but I could try this year is going to be different I want to be with you forever and if that means pulling my finger out and doing well at school then I will do it" Pacey looked her in the eye meaning every word he said.
She kissed him on the nose "you really mean it don't you Pace" she smiled pulling him in for a kiss.
"come on Jo lets go for a dip" he took her hand and jumped into the sea
Later that night
Joey and Pacey are lying in the hammock
"Jo are you ok you've been very quiet the past few days" Pacey wondered out loud as he stroked Joey back
"I'm fine pace I just don't want this to end" Joey sleepily answered
"are you sure because I think you're worried about what or who awaits us on land" pace said harshly
"Pacey I have nothing to be worried about I made my choice and if he doesn't want to be our friend because of that then he isn't the man I thought he was" Joey turned to look at Pacey she took his face in her hands
"I know but he was what you wanted for so long what if that changes when you see him again" Pacey whispered so quietly he wondered if Joey heard him
"I love you, you dope I haven't thought about Dawson since I got on this boat 3 months ago. Yes I am worried about seeing him because I don't know where I stand and I know better than anyone that he can hold a grudge" Joey was scared to see her best friend again it had broken her heart to see him so heartbroken but she was happy and she wasn't going to let Dawson Leery spoil that.
"I hope that he has moved on and can be as happy as we are" he smiled and gave Joey a kiss on the forehead "now let's get some rest potter I don't know about you but I need my beauty sleep"
"yes you do witter" Joey laughed and was soon asleep
The next day
"so is that everything" Joey asks
"I think I've got what we need for now we can pick the rest up later or tomorrow" Pacey smiles at Joey
"there is one more thing" Pacey stops and looks at Joey
"what" Joey was confused as Pacey was looking so serious
"what are we going to tell the masses you know they are going to ask" Pacey continued
"ask what" Joey asked confused
"the masses are going to ask what happened on the boat this summer you know between you and I sexually" Pacey hinted
"no one cares" Joey laughed
Pacey gives her a look
"Ok maybe they care but they won't ask will they" Joey questioned
"oh they will ask once they find out our news" Pacey answered
"so what do we say then" Joey worried she didn't regret what they had done they loved each but not everyone was going to be happy
"we tell them the truth I know that not everyone will be happy but we agreed that we would stop living for other people" Pacey could see that Joey was worried and gave her a hug
"so what do we do for now" Joey pulled back from Pacey and looked up at him
"we go our own way and work up the courage to tell Bessie and my parents what we did" Pacey smiled her with a reassuring smile
"I know but I think I have to tell Dawson first" Joey hoped Pacey wouldn't be pissed
Pacey tried not to let his frustration that everything comes back to Dawson show on his face
"pace don't give that look Dawson is our oldest friend and this is going to really hurt and the last thing I want to is hurt him and I don't think you want to hurt him either" Joey took Pacey hand and pulled him in for a hug
"I know but I am just worried that he will do something rash and I don't want you to get hurt" Pacey worried
"whatever happens we have each other that's all that matters" Joey smiled and gave him a reassuring kiss
"well your stuck with me for life" Pacey joked
"well I am going home to check that Bessie hasn't burnt down the B+B and you should go and talk to your parents" she kissed Pacey on the check and turned away
"so I guess this is it for now I will see you at school in the am" Pacey smiled at Joey
"I guess so. See you then" Joey turned and walked away. Pacey walked away as but couldn't resist turned back for one last kiss laughing when he saw that Joey had done the same.
Dawson felt uneasy and been since he had sent an email from Jens computer and had seen that Pacey and Joey were coming back today. He thought about the ways he could avoid them but changed his mind this was his town and he wasn't going to run away from his best friend and his former best friend. Dawson was so deep in his thoughts he never saw the pretty brunette walking towards him until he walked in to her.
Dawson looked up to say sorry and saw the last person he wanted to see
"Joey" Dawson asked shocked
"Dawson" Joey smiled she knew she was going to see him but not so soon
"I thought you would be back later" Dawson mumbled he didn't know what say things were so awkward
"we made good times no head winds" Joey looked at Dawson for signs of the boy that was once her best friend
"looks like Pacey taught you something for once" that sounded meaner then Dawson intended
"Dawson I am sorry about everything that happened last year I hope that we can go back to being friends but I understand if it is to hard" Joey couldn't see the boy that she once knew and the news she had was going to kill him
"how could you understand you and Pacey have each other I have no one my two best friends left me I thought that he might do that but I never ever thought that you would do that" the anger that Dawson had been feeling all summer came to the surface
"Dawson we didn't leave you I would never do that you were there for me when no one else was you will always be my best friend. If I have learnt one thing in my short life it's that a soul mate can mean many things and to me you are my best friend and hopefully will be for the rest of our life's" Joey had a long time to think about this on the boat and had to face the possibility that Dawson wouldn't want to be her friend anymore.
"you did leave me I know what I told you but I didn't think that you would get on that boat and I have never felt such pain in my life and I thought I got past it now seeing you stood here all that pain comes rushing back and sometimes I feel like it's going to kill me" Dawson confessed almost crying
"my intension was never to hurt you but that's life Dawson sometimes it's beautiful sometimes it's painful but whatever happens you deal with it. I didn't want to tell you this like this but you're going to find out anyway. While Pacey and I were on the boat we got married" Joey smiled to herself at the memories of their time at sea but braced herself for a bad reaction from Dawson
"I don't think I heard you right can you say that again" Dawson turned and looked at Joey
"Pacey and I got married I know that we are so young but I really love him and I can't imagine being with anyone else he is the one and always will be" Joey tried to ignore the heartbreaking look on his face as the words came out of her mouth
"Joey your such an idiot do you really think that Pacey won't leave you when someone else catches his fancy or do you really think that Pacey will get out of this town he is a loser always has been always will be and you are destined for such great things" Joey knew that Dawson would be mad but never thought she would hear such harsh words from him
"and I still am destined for great things but they will be better because I have Pacey by my side forever and don't forget Pacey knows how lucky he is" Joey joked trying to lighted the mood
"funny Joey have you thought about what Bessie is going to say and what you are going to do where are you going to live how are you going to support yourselves and go to school" Dawson knew he had to wake her to the reality and as soon as he did she would be his again.
"we have thought about that and Pacey sold his boat and got a lot of money for it. The guy who brought it offered him a job as long as he graduates high school. If he gets the grades he might even put him through collage" Joey was proud of Pacey she knew how much that boat meant to him and for him to have sold it for their future he really must love her.
Dawson laughed "you really are an idiot Jo if you can you can pin all your dreams on Pacey graduating high school if anyone is destined to be a loser its Pacey witter"
"Dawson I know that we hurt you and I am sorry about that but I didn't come here for your appetence I came here for your friendship and to find the boy that was my best friend but I can see that he is no longer here but I hope that he comes back one day" in her heart Joey knew that she wouldn't see Dawson for a while but knew it was for the best.
"Jo I'm still here and I will be when you realise what a big mistake you made" Dawson looked at Joey as he stood to walk away preying the tears wouldn't start until she couldn't see him anymore.
Dawson walked around town in a daze till he found himself in the last place he wanted to be. in front of the true love
He been staring at the boat for what felt like a long time when a voice interrupted his thoughts
"I take it Joey told you what we did" Dawson turned and saw Pacey approaching the boat
"she did and I don't think it's a good idea for you to be around me right now" Dawson tried to resist making his hand into a fist
"what you going do hit me again. I don't think that Joey would like that" Pacey smirked
"no she wouldn't but seeing as we are no longer friends I don't think she would care" Dawson snapped angrily
"look I know that a lot has changed and I understand why you and I can no longer be friends but please at least consider being friends with Joey. You know she was most worried about telling you she thought that you would hate her and I guess you proved her right" Pacey felt for the guy that was once his best friend he felt sorry for him but it was his own fault if he wanted to push her away.
"I thought that you would be happy that I don't want Joey more she is all yours now. You never have worry that she will come running back to me ever again." Dawson sneered
"you really do think highly of yourself don't you. I know Joey better than anyone and I know that she wouldn't have said I do and she wouldn't have got on the boat in the first place if she didn't really love me with her whole heart. I know that it's going to be tough but we have what it takes to make it work." Being with Joey had mellowed Pacey he wasn't going to rise to Dawson's bait
"but what about me she told me that she would always love me I was her soulmate" Dawson spat angrily
"there are more than one way to be someone's soulmate and yours was to be her best friend. Look just because your pissed but don't let that anger push her away. Because when you look back on your life you don't want this to be the thing you regret." Pacey knew that Joey loved Dawson as a friend and knew how much it would hurt her to lose that
"that's bullshit and you know it. Your just scared that one day she is going to wake up and see you for the loser that you are and always have been." Dawson didn't mean to be so harsh but he was angry and had to take it out on someone
"I am not a loser or a screw up anymore I've changed I grew up. You're the only person who can't see that because deep down I think you liked it when I was a loser when I was the screw up because it made you look like the good guy made you feel like a saint to be best friends with a loser" Pacey had felt like this for a while that Dawson was only he friend to make himself feel better
"so you only stole Joey from me to prove that you weren't a loser that your better than me" Dawson spoke curling in fingers into a fist
"it wasn't like that and you know it. You pushed her away and asked me to be there for her and I was. And I saw what a great person she is and she saw something in me that I never saw in myself" Pacey saw Dawson curling his fist and backed away from him.
"do you not think I know that i pushed her towards you and that if I hadn't she might still be with me" Dawson uncurled his fist and let the tears that he had been holding back fall
"I think deep down you know the truth that you two were never meant to be anything more best friends. When you meet the one you really shouldn't have to try that hard to make it work" Pacey heart broke for his old friend but the truth had to be said.
A silence broke out between the old friends while they both thought about what they had lost. Finally Dawson turned to walk away.
"take care of her Pacey" Dawson smiled at the guy who had once been his best friend
"I will" Pacey smiled and in his heart he knew that him and Dawson would never be friends again.
Later that night
Joey was lost in her thoughts and didn't hear the man sneaking up behind her. He put his hands over her eyes.
"guess who" Pacey spoke softly
"well it must be my wonderful husband" Joey smiled and pulled paceys hands into hers
Pacey sat down next to Joey and pulled her close to him continuing to hold her hand.
"I must have done something right today for you to call me wonderful" Pacey smiled
"yes you did" Joey couldn't keep the smile off her face
"come pace lets go and spend one last night on the boat before Mr. Williams comes to pick it up" Joey stood up and pulled Pacey to his feet
"yes Mrs. witter whatever you say" Pacey laughed and pulled Joey in to him for a lingering kiss
"you know its Mrs. potter-witter" Joey laughed and pulled him on to the boat
The end