A/N: My layout skills are lacking. Would love it if you could R&R - editing chapters will get some more up soon. Not sure if this will be turned into a trilogy or not.
The Road Most Travelled
Chapter 4
Saturday afternoon was over cast and threatened an impeding storm on the horizon. Pacey set down the last of the boxes as Joey, Jack and Jen slumped to the worn couch sitting in the centre of the living room. Joey groaned, sitting up and looking around her at the boxes. Certain Jack and Pacey's belongings had mostly definitely multiplied.
"You know boys, if you had simply written on the boxes with the room they belonged to we could have organised this a little better." Joey mused "Now it's just an array of things in boxes that are taking up the living area. You won't be able to set anything up in here until that is organised and put away." Joey gestured to the mountain of clutter they had finished moving into Jack and Pacey's new apartment. Pacey stood up and groaned, taking a look at Joey and smirking.
"You know Jo, you have an unbelievable talent for fun." He commented sarcastically. Joey grinned.
"Well, you know me Pace. I am all about the fun." She stuck her tongue out playfully. Jack jumped up and wrestled Jen's petite frame to her feet. He held his hands out to Pacey.
"There's still another box, plus a couple of pizzas that have our names on them." Pacey handed the keys to his car over and watched as Jack and Jen left. Pacey sighed and bent down to open a box, after rummaging through it lightly he picked it up and turned to walk down the hall. Joey followed his cue and opened a couple of boxes until she found a large one filled with loud hawaiian shirts. She picked it up, shaking her head and grinning as she followed Pacey. Joey opened up one of the built in closets, noting the empty clothing hangers. She began pulling shirts out and placing them in the closet, Pacey had ducked out of the room and returned with his tool box to set his bed up. Joey stopped as she bent down to pick up Pacey's worn, tan corduroy jacket. She snorted in surprise.
"I can't believe you still have this Pace!" She exclaimed, holding up his jacket in disgust. Pacey laughed and took the jacket from her, noting her expression of disdain he looked at her with mock expression of hurt.
"I'll have you know Potter, this is a great jacket. Has a lot of sentimental value." She laughed at him and turned to pull another shirt from the box to hang.
"I am sure it does Pacey." He smiled at her turning the jacket over in his hands and checking it for signs of damage.
"You know I don't think I have worn it since the winter we were..." His voice trailed off to give a regretful smile at Joey, she smiled back with the same look of remorse. Pacey started checking the pockets of the jacket. He felt his hand close over something smooth and cylindrical. His brow furrowed in curiosity as he pulled the peculiar object from the depths of his jacket pocket. At the sight of it his heart skipped a few beats and he felt it breaking all over again. He must not have hidden his feelings well as Joey gazed at him in concern.
"Pace, you ok?" She asked him as she stepped closer. Pacey quickly attempted to regain his usually good natured countenance and turned to look at Joey. He held up the object. Joey's eyes widened as he handed it to her.
"Very Berry if I remember correctly, right Jo?" He smiled, tossing the jacket back onto the box of clothes. Joey nodded solemnly as she looked down at the lipstick in her hand. Pacey turned his attention back to the reconstruction of his bed.
They both worked quietly as Joey helped Pacey build his bed. They went back to their usual good natured banter while Joey made his bed. Pacey argued he could do it himself and Joey cut him down with his inability to do anything even slightly resembling domesticity.
"I can cook though Joey and that is very important." He retorted, Joey nodded in agreement. "And...there's nothing sexier than a man who can cook for his lady" Pacey moved close to Joey, his voice low and almost a whisper. Joey laughed nervously and slapped his chest with the back of her hand playfully.
"Well Witter, that's if you've got a lady to impress." Joey immediately realised what she said, her hand flew to her mouth. "Er Pacey i'm sorry, I - I didn't think." Pacey shook his head and stepped back, he sat himself on his newly made bed. Joey sat her herself next to him, "You ok" she asked him tentatively. He nodded, looking down at the floor before turning to her.
"Yeah Jo. I'm fine. "
"You don't have to hide it. I know you must be angry. I'm angry and this isn't about me at all" Pacey sat staring into Joey's deep brown eyes, they sparkled in the lights of the city as darkness descended over them. She truly was a remarkable woman.
"Maybe that's the whole problem here Joey. Maybe this is about you" Joey leant back in surprise at Pacey's words, confused and curious at what he had said.
"What are you talking about?"
Pacey bit down on his lower lip and took in a deep breath. He stared out of the window for a few moments before he spoke. Joey sat waiting for him to explain what he had just said, having no idea what he was going to say. She knew this couldn't be about their past with Dawson, or could it? Finally Pacey's voice cut through the silence.
"You are right Joey, I am angry. I am really angry but it's not Dawson, not even Audrey I am angry with. I am angry with myself and my own betrayal. The worst betrayal of all Jo." He looked at Joey with sadness in his eyes. Joey shook her head in disbelief not quite understanding Pacey.
"What? It was Audrey and Dawson who betrayed you Pace." He nodded at her, yes they had. He wasn't denying it. But he had betrayed Audrey all the same and in the worst possible way imaginable.
"Yeah I know."
"okay what is this all about then?"
"You Joey." He replied, Joey opened her mouth to say something, stopping when Pacey held a hand up to continue. "What i said to Dawson the other night when I said that I loved you was true and not in the past tense Joey. I have never, ever stopped loving you. Sailing away to the Caribbean may have helped to dull those feelings inside for a time but they are still there Jo. I still love you and that is how I betrayed Audrey. Being with someone without truly giving oneself to them?" He sighed "That is not fair on anyone, especially Audrey. How could i have ever thought that she and I could have a committed relationship when I..." Pacey looked to Joey, his face softened as he looked into her eyes again "When I am still so utterly and completely in love with you?"
Joey's breath hitched in her throat at what he had said. Her mind whirring with emotions she had tried to keep in check since they had ended it back in high school. She found herself losing control of them now. Joey didn't pull away when Pacey leant in close to her and rest his hand delicately on her cheek, tracing her jaw with his thumb. She could feel her heart beating louder at his touch, struggling over the deafening roar of electricity which surged though her body. She drifted towards Pacey, her lips so close she could almost taste his.
"Are you kidding me Jen? He had crazy psycho practically tattooed on his forehead." The sound of Jack's voice travelled up the hall, Joey jumped up in alarm. Her eyes darting to Pacey's doorway nervously with the hint of shame. Pacey groaned, cursing Jack and Jen for their impeccable timing.
"Hey there you two are." Jen smiled, leaning her shoulder against the doorframe. She looked around the room in surprise. "Seems you've been busy" Joey looked at her in surprise, flushing with embarrassment.
"Huh, what?No. We were just. We were just." Joey stammered. Pacey grinned behind his hand. Jen looked at Joey with confusion .
"Unpacking Pacey's room?" She smirked wondering what she might have missed. Joey relaxed and nodded.
"Well you know Pacey, always dragging his feet. What I don't understand is how Pacey managed to score the room with the bathroom." Joey asked walking through the doorway into the small shower room with a toilet and basin. Pacey laughed, Jack gave him a look of warning.
"Oh come on. Really Jack, still?" Jen giggled.
"What?" Joey poked her head out of the bathroom, noting Jen and Pacey trying to stifle there laughter. Jack groaned.
"The pizzas getting cold. I have beer Pacey so ..." Pacey threw his hands up, taking the hint and following Jack into the kitchen. Joey gave Jen and questioning look. Jen smiled and grabbed Joey's arm, she quickly glanced down the hall to be certain they could not hear her.
"The toilet. Jack has this thing about sleeping so close to a toilet. As a kid he had nightmares that a slimy monster was going to jump out and eat him while he slept." Jen smirked. Joey giggled and quickly put her hands over her mouth, chortling in silence.
Jack and Pacey had gone as far as to set up the entertainment side of things and swung the couch to face the television, beyond that nothing had eventuated. They sat around eating the last of the pizzas and drinking beers while packed boxes sat where they had first been placed. Jack got up to put a movie on, figuring they were all too tired to go out after the day of moving.
"So what are we watching Jackers?" Pacey asked laying back into the couch and rested his beer on the arm. Jack grinned.
"It's a horror flick about a stalker"
"Way to go man. Best decision to get a movie that will really help the girls move about the city on there own. Especially seeing as Joey didn't have the greatest encounter herself when up against the criminal element of this city." Pacey raised a brow. Jack frowned, suddenly seeing Pacey's point, he turned to change the movie.
"It's fine, I am kinda in the mood for a horror" Jen beamed. Joey shook her head. Pacey looked at her and smirked knowingly.
"No surprises there Potter." Joey slapped his arm playfully.
"I have gotten a lot better Pacey." She stuck her head up in defiance, Pacey chuckled and rolled his eyes at her blatant lie. Jack rubbed his hands together after pressing play. He quickly ran to switch the light off. Joey cringed nervously as the apartment became washed in darkness momentarily before the movie came to life. Jack joined Jen on the floor. Jen had laid a thick rug down in front of the couch to lay down to watch the movie. Joey sat on the couch next to Pacey.
Joey sat watching, holding her knees up close to her chest. She inched closer to Pacey with each scene, silently screaming at the girl on the screen as she carefully stepped outside to investigate a noise. Joey knew what was going to happen, there was a formula to these movies. Knowing the inevitable didn't help Joey when the man jumped out from behind the car to grab the woman. Joey gasped, lunged in her seat towards Pacey, she grabbed his arm tightly. Pacey smirked at the wide eyed girl clutching his arm. Instinctively he lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, he could feel her body move in closer to his and relax against him. Pacey pulled her closer, drinking in the scent of her hair as she put her head on his shoulder.
Jack jumped up to flick the light on once the closing credits rolled across the screen, everyone sat up yawning and stretching their bodies. Pacey stood up, looking around him. The hour was late and everyone appeared tired from the days physical strain. Jen stood up and pulled the blanket she had around her.
"What's happening girls, are you staying or do you want a ride home?" Pacey asked help Joey to her feet. Jen was already on her way towards Jack's room.
"I figured that it's late so we might as well just crash here the night." Jen replied. Jack shrugged and followed Jen to his bedroom. "Oh and Jack. If you get frisky during the night don't wake me up"
Pacey laughed shaking his head. He turned to Joey.
"You want the bed and I take the couch?" He asked moving to pull out spare blankets from a box. Joey shook her head.
"I can sleep on the couch Pace, i am not going to kick you out of your bed. Besides you're too tall to fit comfortably on the couch." Pacey grinned. He handed Joey the linen and disappeared into his room, reemerging with a pair of his boxers and a shirt for her to change into. Joey smiled thanking him. He said goodnight and went to bed.
Pacey roused from sleep with an urgent hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes groggily. It was still dark so Pacey had no idea of the time.
"Pace?" Joey whispered, leaning over him. It took Pacey a few moments to realise who was standing over him, he rubbed his eyes.
"Jo?"
"Can...can I sleep in here?" She asked timidly. Pacey grinned sleepily, he shuffled over and pulled the covers back. Joey scampered in hastily. Pacey couldn't help but chuckle as Joey burrowed into his chest. Pacey moved to sit up. "Pace?" she questioned him while he fumbled in the dark.
"Yeah?"
"Where are you going?"
"Um to put a shirt on Jo, I should put a shirt..." Joey reached over and placed her hand on his bare chest guiding him back down towards the bed next to her.
"I don't mind Pace" She whispered "I think that I can resist any sexual urges." She smiled at him with amusement. Pacey cleared his throat nervously. He laid down on his side facing her. Taking a deep breath.
"It's not really you I was worried about Jo..." Joey averted her eyes, embarrassed. Thankful for to darkness hid her flushed cheeks. "Jo. I hope that I didn't make you er...feel uncomfortable for saying what I said earlier. I mean we've been getting along really well lately I wouldn't want to ruin that by...by bringing up the past and old feelings." Joey shook her head. she felt safe in Pacey's arm, like she always did, a comfort she hadn't felt since she was last in his embrace in high school.
"Did you mean it?"
"Every word, Potter"
They lay awake in silence, facing each other. Joey slipped her arm around Pacey's waist and pulled herself closer into him. The familiar scent of him opened her sense and reminded her of how much she had loved him, of how much she still loved him. Pacey closed his eyes and caressed the small of Joeys back and allowed his fingers to move up her sides noting her moan with familiarity beneath his touch. He wanted to kiss her more than anything, to feel the softness of her lips against his again. He wanted to go back to a place where everything was perfect once more. Pacey laughed softly to him self as he listened to the slow and rhythmic breathing of a woman sleeping. He leant forward and softly kissed her forehead before closing his eyes and succumbing to sleep.
Joey woke later that morning wrapped up in Pacey's arms, her back pressed up closely to his chest. She could feel his heart beating, it echoed throughout her body. Joey smiled feeling the safest she had felt in a long time. Knowing she hadn't felt this way since the last time she were entwined with Pacey when they were together. Joey felt Pacey shift, she closed her eyes. Joey heard him yawning, a moment later she felt the soft touch of his fingers as he caressed her arm. It took all of her will not to moan in pleasure beneath his touch. He leant forward and kissed her shoulder softly before whispering in her ear
"I love you Joey."
She wrestled with the notion of allowing him to know she was awake, knowing she had missed her opportunity as she felt his body rise. Pacey through on sweats and a shirt, he left the room silently closing the door behind him.