Chapter 4

Dawson and Pacey were slowly walking down the halls of Capside high. They were laughing and jokeing and talking about nothing in general. Suddenly another student comes running up to them.

"You're Dawson Leery right?" The kid asks.

"Yeah, who wants to know?" Dawson asks him.

"Me i am noone you would know, but a friend of yours asked me to bring you a message."

"Ok what is the message? And who is it from?" Dawson asks.

"From Jack, he says someone named Joey is about to do something stupid and you should come to the courtyard right away." The guy says.

Woke up at around a half past 10
Cant believe that I'm late again
Put down about a quart of caffeine
To start my pulse and then
I grab my jeans off the floor

Like Bolt of lightening Dawson and Pacey are gone. He slides to a halt next to Jack as Pacey catches up a moment later. There in the middle of the Courtyard is Joey and she is facing down one of Drue's henchmen.

"Come on you are a tough guy when it is more than one of you on someone. You can take me i am just a girl." Joey says to him.

"I'm not going to fight you Joey. Your boyfriend will kick my ass." The guy says.

Joey angery now punches him in the face as she shouts.

"I don't have a boyfriend, because of you and your friends."

The guy goes to hit her back, but stops when he sees Dawson take a step forward. Dawson raises his eyebrows at the guy. He takes a step back and looks down. Dawson slide back into the crowd so as not to be noticed.

Then I hit the door
Its just the same old same
It goes to show you never know
When everything's about to change

"What no guts to fight? Come on now you can do it." Joey says.

Drue walks into the circle and begins to laugh. He looks from Joey to his friend and then to the crowd, but fails to see Dawson standing behind the crowd. he slowly walks to face Joey.

"I'll fight you, if a fight is what you want." Drue says.

"With out your friends as back up? Come on Drue you fight fair?" Joey says.

Just another day
It started out like any other
Just another girl
Who took my breath away

"Well without your boyfriend here it really isn't fair, but there are two of us if you would prefer." Drue says.

"The more the merrier." Joey says as she step in and punches at Drue.

Drue sidesteps her punch and hits her along the side of her head. This sends Joey reeling out of control for a couple of steps. She is caught by Dawson who hands her off too Pacey, as he steps forward.

"So i see you have no problem fighting a girl Drue, now try me." Dawson says as he walks towards him.

Then she turned around
She took me down
Just another day that I
Had the best day of my life

"It isn't your fight Dawson." Drue says.

"It is now." Dawson simple states.

"Dawson this is my fight i started it." Joey says.

"And i am going to finish it." Dawson says.

"Now wait a minute, who says you get to finish it?" Joey asks.

"I do, if i don't they will kick your ass." Dawson says.

Cant say exactly what it was
She's not the usual type
She wore a cowboy hat
With her red Prada boots
And a Gwen Stefani smile

"So what, it is still my fight not yours. You don't want anything to do with me remember." Joey says.

"Not now Joey." Dawson says.

"Yes now Dawson. This is my fight i will finish it." Joey says.

Then she pulled out a pen
And surprised me when
She wrote her number on my hand
Then she was gone
But from now on
I'm gonna be a different man

Dawson turns to her and smiles as he reaches out and kisses her full on the lips. She is so supprised she forgets to kiss back.

"What was that?" Joey asks.

"Me kissing my girlfriend, now can i take care of this please?" Dawson asks.

Just another day
It started out like any other
Just another girl
Who took my breath away

There is a cheer from thier friends as Dawson says this. Joey gets that famous half smile before she says.

"It's about time. Please do what you have to." Joey backs away leaving Dawson standing there to face Drue and his friend.

"Now back to you." Dawson says.

Then she turned around
She took me down
Just another day that I
Had the best day of my life

"Look Dawson lets just call it even shall we. She used us to get to you, makes us even doesn't it." Drue says.

"I know she did, and it worked. I love that devious mind of hers, unfortanatly for you. You hit her, so no we aren't even." Dawson says as he starts toward Drue again.

"DAWSON LEERY!" A voice shouts just as Dawson reaches Drue.

Dawson swings around to see Princible Green standing a few feet away.

"Is there a problem here?" Green asks.

"Uh- well- uh No sir there isn't, is there Drue?" Dawson says.

"N--No no-- none at all." Drue counters.

"Good then i would say you should head to classes." Green says.

Everyone turns and leaves, none faster than Drue and his friend. Soon the only ones left on the grass are Mr. Green, and Dawson and Joey.

"Mr. Leery didn't we have this conversation about a year ago?" Mr. Green asks.

"Yes sir we did, i'm sorry i will do better in the future." Dawson says.

"See that you do." He says and then turns and leaves.

I guess it goes to show
You never really know
When everything's about to change

"So i am your girlfriend now am i?" Joey asks.

"No but i figured it was the only way to get you to back off." Dawson says.

"So what it was all fake, just a ruse to get me to allow you to play hero again?" Joey asks.

Just another day
It started out like any other
Just another girl
Who took my breath away
Then she turned around
She took me down

"Not entirely. The only reason you aren't my girlfriend is because i haven't asked, and you haven't said yes." Dawson tells her.

"So are you going to ask?" Joey asks.

Just another day that I
Had the best day of my life

Just another day
It started out like any other
Just another girl
Who took my breath away

"Not right now i am not." Maybe if you let me walk you home we can talk somemore about all of this." Dawson says.

"We can do that." Joey smiles at him. "Besides maybe i don't want to be your girlfriend anymore."

Then she turned around
She took me down
Just another day that I
Had the best day of my life

"Well maybe you do and maybe you don't. Guess that is a chance i will have to take, isn't it." Dawson says.

"Guess so, well see you at lunch." Joey says as she walks away.

.. Started out like any other

Started out like any other

Dawson just grins as he watches her leave. His mind is racing a million miles a minute with this new developemnet. He just couldn't resist any longer. She had done so many things to get his attention, and to prove they belong together.

.. Had the best day of my life

"That girl so has you wraped around her finger, Homie." A voice says from behind him.

"What are you doing here Juan?" Dawson asks.

"Just settleing a score is all." Juan says.

"I am not in the mood for this. Go back home, and let it lay." Dawson says.

"Oh no, you misunderstand homie. It is a good thing." Juan says.

"How so?" Dawson asks.

"Well my friend has gotten rich since you did what you did. He says he owes you one years worth of royalties, and won't take no for an answer. So here is your cut, one years worth." Juan says.

"It's blood money Juan, i don't want it." Dawson says.

"Look Dawson, i am going to leave it here in these bags, what you do from there is on you." Juan says.

"Bags?"

"Yeah man two of them. About $700,00.00." Juan says.

"What, how the market was never that strong in Kansas." Dawson asks.

"Simple with you and Stan out of the way, everything comes through my friend, it has made him a very rich man. So i am leaving them here, do as you wish." Juan sets them down in front of Dawson and walks away.

Dawson grabs both bags and head for his house. His mind is in full motion on what to do with this money. He knows it is blood money, but maybe some good can come out of it. Maybe use it for college, to help pay off any debits his parents have. And use what ever is left to help start his life after college.

He explains everything to his parents, also telling them what he wants to do with the money. He lays out his plan for the future, and the things he wants to accomplish.

"Son are you sure you will be ok, knowing where this money came from?" Mitch asks.

"At first i was against it, but i might as well put it too good use. Leaving it where it came from would just add more drugs onto the streets." Dawson says.

"OK son, we will open an account in your name. That way it will be there for when ever you need it." Gail says.

"Thanks guys, now i have to hurry back to school." Dawson tells them.

"But Dawson it will be over in fifteen minutes." Mitch says.

"I know, but i promised someone i would walk them home, so i better be there." Dawson tells them.

"Then you better hurry, don't want to be late." Gail says.

"Thanks mom, see you guys a little later." Dawson says, as he hurries out the door on his way to meet Joey.