again, as always I do not own these character, but so love the man who does.

She watched the sun raise again this morning. But she barely noticed it. Three Days since Pacey found out. Three days without a word. She had gone to his classroom the day after. Fear had forced her too, but he wasn't there. The substitute had informed her that he had taken a few days off. Now here it was Saturday, and Max was expecting him to take her to the Velveteen Rabbit. Joey didn't know what to tell her. The phone rang, and she knew it was Bessie. This Saturday morning call was a little habit of theirs. She took the cordless phone back over to her window seat and told Bessie everything.

"Well, what do you think he's going to do?" Bessie Asked.

"I don't know, and that's what scares me. I mean, you know Pacey. He's impulsive, and you know he'll want her in his life."

"But Joey, c'mon this is still Pacey, and he wouldn't do anything to hurt to you."

"Oh sure," Joey smiled sarcastically out the window. "Cause sleeping with him and pouring our my druken heart to him and waking up to a note didn't hurt at all."

Across the room Max strolled in. Feet dragging on the hardwood. Eyes barely opened. She turned on the TV to Cartoon Network and lay on the floor.

There was knock on the door, and Joey pleaded the fifth on Bessie's questions and got off the phone. She looked through the peep hole to see Pacey on the other side. She prepared herself for the confrontation and opened the door.

"Good morning." Was all she could muster.

"Morning." He wondered why it was the no matter what happened he could always remember things about her that others would find boring. Like the time everyone had gotten arrested on Valentines Day and he had confessed to Douggie that he was in love with her. He'd gone to her house the next morning, but chickened out. But he still remember what she looked like in her pajamas that morning. Telling him that she was worried about him too.

She opened the door and walked in slowly. As he did he noticed pictures of Max all around. At all ages. He smiled sadly at a picture of her in the hospital.

"Don't take her away from me."

"What?"

"Please don't take he away from me Pacey. I'm sorry I lied, and I know that doesn't really make anything better, but I didn't know what else to do. I mean you left and I know that it was a mistake that nite. The I was drunk and you were… well, male and things happened, but that you've probably always regretted it but…"

He cut her off. "I'm not planning on taking her away from you Joe."

She stopped and he could visibly see her relief. It was silent for several long moments. "So what now?" She asked.

"You know, I keep wanting to ask you why. You know. Why didn't you call me after that nite? Why not when you found out you were pregnant? Why not from the hospital or on her birthday or father's day or Christmas…" Joey turned away from him. "But the answer is very simple. Why would you? I think that my actions left you without a reason think I was a good guy…"

"I never thought that you weren't Pace.."

"Fact of the matter is I did what I did that nite, not by being with you but by leaving, out of fear. I had just started my final year, student teaching, and was actually going to be somebody and you, you didn't need a work in progress or you would finally see what a loser I was. That with all your success a guy like me would look just pathetic and I didn't want that. I wanted to come to you and say "Look at me. I've done something. I am somebody." But by the time my fear had subsided you were gone. And when I did see you on the rare occasion you were out on a date, and I wasn't about to touch that. So, I'm not going to ask you why Joe. Or how, cause you've clearly done an above average job in raising her on your own, and you've no idea how much respect I have for you, but I do want to know one thing. Ok?"

She nodded at him. Words were simply not an option right now.

"Is there a place in her life for me?" Joey looked at him dumbfounded. "I know it's not going to be easy for her or us, but I would very much like to be a part of her life. Her father.

Joey just stood there. How was it this man could be like this? Why did he have to be so, so, Pacey? He was suppose to be angry. He was suppose to yell, and scream, and accuse and blame. That she was prepared her. But not this.

"You've no idea how often I wanted to call you. Tell you how if felt the first time I felt her move. Or saw the sonogram. The day she was born. Damn Bessie begged me to call you. There hasn't been a day that has gone by that I didn't want to pick up that phone and tell you your daughter started school, or learned a word that I'd rather she never repeat ever again. But you know Pace that I didn't want you to feel that because of one mistake your life was over. We had that fear once, a long time ago, and I saw your eyes that day."

"Joe I was 17."

She laughed slightly. "Well if your going to rationalize that with the facts I'm simply not going to explain myself anymore." He laughed with her. "You are on the birth certificate Pacey. As her father."

Pacey peered around the corner at Max. Fully engrossed in Speed Racer. Joey nodded him over.

"I use to love this show when I was your age." He said as he walked over.

"Mr. Whitter! You did?!" Max asked. "They had cartoons then?!" She laughed. As did Joey.

Pacey settled down to watch TV with Max. Joey watched as they laughed and talked. There was no question about him being in her life. Pacey was her father. Max looked over at Joey. "Mom, I'm hungry."

"Yeah mom I'm hungry too." Pacey laughed.

Joey smiled. "Bacon and Eggs ok?"

Pacey got up from the sofa and walked over to the kitchen. Joey was suppose to be cooking breakfast. But instead she was sitting at the table crying. She stopped when she realized her saw her. She jumped up. "Hey Pace, did you want some hashbrowns or just eggs…"

"What's wrong Joe?"

"Nothing."

He stepped in front of her, and grabbed her face. "Don't lie to me Joe."

She looked up at him, tears still in her eyes. "I'm just so happy."