"Hey, Dawson can I talk to you?" Jen asked as she saw Dawson headed for his car.
"Jen?, I'm a little busy." Came the curt reply.
"Well we can meet somewhere later?" She pressed.
"Alright, after lunch at the pier Okay?" he said coldly
"Okay." Jen watched as he got into his car and drove away. When did he become such a cold bastard she thought to herself. Thinking back to when they had hooked up the last time, she had to admit he was already jaded then.
Walking back into the house, Jen packs Amy's carry bag and puts her into the carriage, "Grams I am going to walk over to the B&B for a few, I will be back after lunch." She calls out.
"Okay child, be sure to take something warm with you." Grams answered.
A little while later, Jen is knocking on the B&B door.
Joey, was awoken by a loud knocking sound. Feeling her aching head, she slips out of bed wondering why they were knocking so loud. "I'm coming" she calls out.
Rubbing her forehead, she opens the door.
"Hi Jen, come in?"
"Hey Joey, wow you look like .."
"Crap?..I know" Jo finishes. "It reflects how I feel."
"I was going to say, like you had a good night." Jen smiled.
"It was a long night." Jo said, rubbing her temples again.
"How bout I put on the jug and you find some advil, and you can tell me all about it" Jen offers.
"That sounds good." Joey smiles.
After having a quick shower, Joey sits down at the table and fills Jen in on the events of yesterday, including her chat with Dawson, Bessie's emergency C-Section and her nightcap with Pacey.
"I miss this, us talking." Joey confides to Jen. "I know it took us awhile to like each other, but I enjoyed it once we finally did."
"From memory it was you that took awhile, I tried to be your friend from the start" Jen teases.
"Okay, true, I am sorry Jen."
"Don't be, it is what was needed for us to grow, it seems we choose different directions during senior year."
"I know, I was hurt by you sticking up for Pacey, and when he didn't come back to school, I had to do everything I could to try and forget him. I focused so much on getting out of this town and forgetting him that I practically ignored everything and everyone around me." Joey says with tears in her eyes.
Jen reaches over to squeeze her hand. "I didn't make it easy for you, I am sorry Jo."
Joey smiles shyly at Jen. "We both made mistakes, lets leave it at that."
"Speaking of mistakes, I need to tell you something, something that isn't easy." Jen drinks some of her coffee as Joey gives her a quizzical look. "I want you to hear me out, without interupting please." Jen continued.
Joey nods, "Sounds scary, go ahead Jen."
Taking a deep breath, Jen starts "Well, a couple years ago, while I was still at Boston University, I ran into a mutual friend of ours. I hadn't seen him since we all graduated High School, so having a catch up we went out for drinks and all these old feelings resurfaced and we slept together, and at the time I thought it was magnificent." Jen paused to drink more coffee and collect her thoughts.
"After a few days, he leaves Boston, but not before we discussed our future and we decided to give the long distance relationship a chance. I wasn't interested in anyone in that capacity at the time, so the prospect of shotover weekends with him appealed to me." Draining the rest of her coffee, Jen gets up to put the cup on the bench. She turns around to see Joey watching her frowning slightly.
"I guess there is more to the story?" Joey asks.
"Sorry, just harder to find the words than I thought it would be." Jen confesses.
"Would it be easier if I ask questions?" Joey offers.
"No, no I need to finish, then I promise I will answer anything you ask."
"Fair enough." Joey nods encouragingly for Jen to continue.
After a few more moments of silence, Jen starts her story again.
"Well, after a few days of being seperated, He called me and said he had made a terrible mistake and that he didn't want to see me anymore, I asked him what had happened to change his mind in a few days and he said he decided to get back with his girlfriend as they were more compatible. Of course I was hurt and felt disgusted with myself, I was making myself physically ill, well at least that's what I thought. I didn't know it at the time but I was pregnant with his baby. Anyway I eventually figured out why I was so sick, and took the nessecary tests, I tried to call him once to let him know, only to be rejected more and he hung up before I got so much as an "I" out. I decided I didn't need him, and thats when Grams and I moved back to Capeside." Jen finished.
Joey stunned recalled the conversation at Pacey's place when they were all there for dinner, Jen had mentioned most of this, what was she leaving out?
"There is more?" Joey asked feeling a piece of the puzzle wasn't quite fitting.
Jen looks at Joey, a couple tears were running down her cheeks, it was now or never she decided.
"Joey, the old friend, the father of my baby? It's Dawson."
Joeys mouth opened and closed, then opened again. Stunned, shock and a look of disbelief chasing over her features before the puzzle finally clicked into place.
"That bastard!" she whispered. "That lying cheating piece of .." shaking her head, trying to compose herself "How dare he ignore his child." Joey stood up and started pacing the room.
"Jo, he doesn't know. You can hate him for everything else, but he doesn't know." Jen reminded her
"You are going to tell him?" Joey turned to look at Jen.
"Yes, later today, he has agreed to meet me." she said with a sigh.
"I am so sorry for everything you have been through Jen." Joey walked over to her and gave her a hug.
"I am sorry also" Jen replied as she hugged her back.
"So, when do I get to start charging you? Pacey grins at his brother as he places his order on the table, sitting beside him to take a break.
"With the capital I invested and the loan I cosigned, I wouldn't worry about it in this lifetime." Dougie says as he starts eating his lunch.
"Want more coffee?"
"Yeah." Doug answers.
"So how is Jack?" Pacey asks while pouring Dougie a fresh cup of coffee.
"He is great, we have decided to go away this weekend, so we will be missing the weekly dinner."
"Somewhere romantic?" Pacey asks raising his eyebrows suggestively.
Doug looks at his little brother, "When are you going to grow up Pace? But yes, somewhere romantic, look I want to show you this." Doug reaches in side his jacket pocket and pulls out a small black box.
"Dougie, is that what I think it is?" Pacey gasps as he is shown an simple engagement ring.
"I thought it was time I ask him to make an honest man of me." Dougie grins, "Don't look so surprised little bro."
"What? No I mean I'm not, I was just wondering which of you two were going to wear the dress." He grins and Dougie starts laughing.
An hour later, Pacey after wiping some of the outside tables after the lunch rush was over, sees Jen walking down the pier.
"Jen." he calls out with a smile on his face as he runs to catch up to her.
"Hey, Pace, whoa what has you in a good mood?" She laughs as he picks her up and spins her around.
"Do I need a reason to be happy to see you?" Pacey says through a big smile, he kisses her on both cheeks and then kisses Amy. "And you my beauty are enough to make the clouds part and the sun shine through." He compliments the baby.
Jen with a huge smile on her face as she is caught up in Pacey's enthusiasm.
"Okay, so what's happened to make you so happy? It is almost as if you are drunk on love?"
"LOVE!, Yes, yes I am Lindley and you will be to." He smiles at her mischieviously.
Pacey leaning in whispers in her ear about Doug and Jack. "Don't you dare say anything to him!" Pacey warns.
Laughing and dancing on the spot Jen throws Pacey a look, "As if I would take the surprise away from him. I can't believe it, this news is awesome." she continues celebrating.
"You and me this weekend Lindley, once we hear the good news, we can pop champagne and toast them" Pacey starts to say as he hears a cough behind them, turning around he see's Dawson standing there watching them both suspiciously.
"Can we help you?" Pacey asks staring at Dawson.
"Pace, I asked him to meet me here." the smile leaving Jen's face as if the last few minutes never happened.
Dawson and Pacey eye each other warily. "Excuse us?" Dawson says sharply indicating he would like some privacy.
"Jen you going to be Okay?" Pacey asks her worriedly.
"I'll be fine Pace, thanks and I will see you later." she reassures him.
"I will be just up there, if you need me." Pacey points at the Icehouse, and starts to walk away, but turns around "Jen do you want me to take Amy for a little while?" He asks.
"Pace, its fine thanks thou hun." she says begging him with her eyes to leave.
Nodding Pacey turns around and busies himself with the cleaning of the outside tables again keeping an eye on the situation below.
"So you wanted to talk to me?" Dawson starts.
"Yeah, thanks for coming I know you are busy so I will try to do this quickly." Jen says. Looking at Dawson he is clearly on the defensive after running into Pacey and not knowing how to tactfully broach the subject Jen decided to just get it over with.
"Dawson, This is my daughter Amy." Jen gestures towards her baby, keeping an eye on Dawson's features.
"I heard you had a baby Jen, congrats shes beautiful." Dawson smiles as he looks at the little girl with the big brown eyes.
"Well, heres the thing, Amy is umm, your daughter also." inwardly cringing at her choice of words Jen continues to look at Dawson as this confession dawns on his features.
"Jen? Wh..what? Jen are you serious? When? How? What? Why didn't you tell me before Jen? Are you sure? Dawson rapid fired questions at her.
His eyes staring into hers, "Why didn't you tell me Jen?" he demanded.
"I tried Dawson, I did"
"Not very hard." he mutters
"Dawson, I was so upset and confused and angry when you called it off with me, and when I called you all you could do was remind me what a mistake it was, I let the rejection get the better of me and I did what I thought necessary for my heart and the sake of my baby, I pretended you didn't exist.." Jen trailed off.
Running his fingers into his hair Dawson looks up into the sky and mouths an expletive.
Looking back down at Amy, then looking at Jen. "This changes everything." he announces.
"It doesn't have to Dawson, I am not here to guilt you into spending time with Amy, I just wanted you to know so when she came looking, perhaps she would be able to get to know you."
"I want to get to know her." Dawson states quietly. "Don't get me wrong, I am pissed that you never told me, but I no longer have that excuse and while I can't gaurantee you its going to be easy or perfect, I can assure you I want to be part of her life."
Jen hugs Dawson, "I am so sorry" she says.
"I am sorry also Jen." Dawson replied. "I think we should go visit my mum, she is going to flip when she hears this.." he adds.
Looking up at the Icehouse, Jen sees Pacey watching the scene below, with a quick wave of her hand and a smile of reassuring, with Dawson pushing the carriage they walk off together towards the Leery House.
