Description: this is a story I have been working on for a while. This is my third Dawson's Creek story. I'll writing this as well as Conflicted Love and Clueless Affection on here now.

Disclaimer: I may not own the characters but this story is original and from my imagination.

Author's note: this is my first try at a Dawson's creek story, be nice to me please. This is a Pacey/Joey fic, my version of how they got together. Enjoy and review thanks

Chapter #10

(Pacey's pov)

" Hey Pace, I hear your quite the knight and shining armor these days.", teases Jen with a playful nudge as she winks at me. Leave it to Lindley to make jokes at my expense. I lucked out that Joey didn't want to kill me when she found out what I had done. That doesn't mean that I need Jen rubbing in my face that I did a good deed. All I did was do what I thought was right. Not my fault that Caulfield wanted to try and start something with me when I was walking away.

" Yeah, that's right. Defending Joey's honor was very noble of you.", jokes Jack right along side Jen much to my displeasure. Great him too? One good deed and I'm the laughing stock of the group now. I just can not seem to catch a break these days. Oh well, on the upside I wasn't expelled at least. Mr. Green went easy on me since I'm the won who got Caulfield to confess to defacing Joey's mural. He let me off with community service, that's right I'm going to be some unlucky kids mentor for the next few months. The things I do for Potter, sometimes I wondering if I'm only fooling myself.

" I was just doing what I thought was right.", I mutter as I poke at the lunch on my plate. Suddenly I'm not so hungry anymore. When I saw Joey run off stage crying, something inside of me snapped. Joey and I might not always get along, but I would be lying if I said that I didn't care about her. When I saw what that jerk had done to her mural, I wanted to show him that he'd messed with the wrong person this time.

" It was a stupid move on your part Pacey. You could have gotten expelled.", points out Dawson much to my displeasure. It was a stupid move? Excuse me for giving a damn! I didn't exactly see you going out of your way to find out who had ruined Joey's painting. Your the one who told me to look after Joey all those months ago, I was only doing what you asked of me Dawson. Who gives a damn if I went about it the wrong way? Because of me Caulfield is kicked out of school.

Tensing up at Dawson's words, I calmly respond," I didn't exactly plan on fighting Caulfield. He took the first swing, I was only defending myself."

Picking at some leftover fries on her tray, Jen offers a smirk in my direction," I got to say Pace, I never thought I would see the day where you stuck up for Joey."

" Joey didn't deserve what that jerk did to her mural.", I mumble in a gruff tone as I toss out the remainder of my tray. Truth is, I never thought that I would see the day either. Joey has never exactly been my favorite person. But that doesn't mean that I would ever let anyone hurt her. Joey and I may not always see eye to eye, but she is one of my oldest friends.

" Since when do you care about Joey?", asks Dawson in a sarcastic tone. Since when do I care about Joey? Since you asked me to look after her. I have always cared about Potter. I just had my own way of showing it. Joey and I might act as though we can't stand one another, but that's all it is. If I'm in trouble and need her? I know that I can count on Joey. I can only hope she knows I'm there whenever she needs me too.

" I'm just doing what you asked of me, Dawson.", I remind with a tired sigh. Who am I kidding? There is more to it than that. I would do just about anything for Joey these days. I'm not sure when it happened, but I've started to see Joey in a different light. She's no longer the nagging, complaining, annoying girl next door No, now she's the smart, beautiful and amazing woman who somehow hardly notices that I exist no matter how hard I try to get her to see me.

" I don't know, if I didn't know any better I would say that you liked her Pacey.", points out Jack with a knowing grin plastered across his face. This seems to spark the others attention as they all stare at me now. Great. Thanks Jack. Way to put me on the spot. Like I'm really going to come out and admit if I did to any of you? Dawson would crucify me. Besides, even if I did have feelings toward Joey that doesn't mean that I would ever have a chance with her. ….(End Pacey's pov)