I will be honest - I shamelessly ripped off a Dirty Dancing line here but it was hard to resist!

Chapter 10

Pacey hesitated for only a moment before knocking on the cabin door, three short sharp raps before he stood back and waited. Heavy footsteps could be heard before Mitch Leery opened the door, Gail and Dawson revealed, clearly bonded together in light of Joey's disgrace.

'What are you doing here?' Mitch couldn't hide his disdain and his disgust at the man before him.

'I came to say that I'm sorry,' Pacey began but Mitch interrupted,

'Your sorry? he scoffed, 'sorry isn't going to restore that girls innocence.'

'Thats not why I'm sorry. Joey isn't an innocent little girl - she's smart, world smart and she has a huge heart, and good intentions. So I'm not sorry about that. I'm sorry that you cant see past me and think of her. She's not a different person because she's with me and she still needs you all. I know you feel she let you down. She and I, well, we didn't mean to go behind anyone's back, but the way she is, I've never respected anyone more than I respect her and I wanted you to know that. I will look after her…'

'Without a job?' Mitch bit out sceptically. 'You lost that huh! Got Joey to hurt everyone around her, ruin her reputation…'

'Joey's strong and she makes her own choices and I have nothing but respect for what she did even if it cost me my job. If you could see her the way I see her…'

'Don't you tell us how to see her,' Dawson barged in front of his father. 'We've known her practically her whole life and the only thing I see is how out of character her slumming it with you is…'

'You led her on, a girl five years younger, innocent…' Mitch Leery added.

'You took that innocence away from her…' Dawson added, practically spitting in his fury.

'I'm pretty sure her dad did that,' Pacey couldn't help but say.

'You don't know anything about her,' Dawson fumed.

'I know that she's an amazing person, that she's brave, fearless, that she'll stand up for people…' Pacey could have gone on but Dawson interrupted.

'She was beautiful and pure and mine and you… you used her.'

'That's what you would see I guess,' Pacey shook his head slightly unsure what else to say. He'd tried.

The sun was hot as they stood quietly together by his car. His black t-shirt stuck to him in the heat, as he watched the soft wind blow her pale skirt. He stood in front of her as she leant against the hood of the car, pressing his body as close to hers as feasibly possible.

'I guess we surprised everyone,' he shrugged.

'Yeah… you could say that,' she rolled her eyes.

'It's not the end,' he reassured her and she nodded fighting back the tears not wanting to spend one night at Kellertons without him.

'No,' she agreed, 'not the end.'

'I better go,' Pacey grimaced.

'Yeah.'

'I'll see you,' he kissed her long and hard.

'Yeah…'

'And Joey?'

'Yes?'

'If you get to Worthington before I see you again remember not to dance with those boys like you dance with me,' he grinned.

'Not a problem,' she smiled back blinking the tears away. Kissing her one last time he got into the car and drove away in a storm of dust.

The old house's ballroom was filled to capacity. Set up like a theatre the guests sat in rows, around the edge a few tables were also available. Of course Max had provided one of these for the Leery's and Joey sat at it with Mitch and Gail.

At the back of the hall the work staff had gathered to watch the show. The waiters had a number in the show, but the dance staff, the cleaning staff, the general dogsbody staff could only watch from the rear. Joey's eyes kept flitting to them. They were as storm cloudy as her, clearly put out by Pacey's dismissal. He was popular - the guy that led them. Looking away from them, away from Jen's eyes that told Joey she'd done the right thing, Joey looked back at the stage. The finale was over and now it was time for the film viewing. This was not a moment Joey had eagerly anticipated. Dawson was already backstage as he was planning a speech to introduce the thing.

Looking down at the beautiful green dress she had finally decided to wear, Joey sighed. It would figure that she'd wear it when Pacey was no longer around to see it but it had felt right, appropriate, to look more grown up, to distance herself from the awful girl Dawson had cast to act out her life. To distance herself from whatever assumptions people had made about her based on her revelation.

'Ladies and Gentleman,' Dawson began from on stage whilst Joey continued to stare at her dress. 'Since I arrived the other guests and I have been putting together a film. My previous film won the "Youth Distinction" award at the New England Film Awards, and the prize money has funded today's, yet untitled, work. I want to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication, the cast, the crew and those who read the script. Please excuse the rough editing and enjoy…'

Joey didn't look up despite the Leery's loud applause, in honesty she felt like booing. Dawson hadn't spoken to her or even looked at her since the conversation where he told her she disgusted him. She could almost understand his point of view, after all in Dawson's world things revolved around him and she'd shot out of orbit by falling for Pacey. She'd defiled his sense of reality. But it was an almost, she mostly felt let down and hurt by him and a little lonely. Jen had been to see her, helped her get ready, Jack had snuck her a hug but she missed Pacey. Still, he would be in Boston, Jen would be in Boston, Jack would be in Boston and she would be in Boston. That was something.

The commotion by the door didn't get her attention as the opening credits rolled. The shadow falling across the table did. She looked up and felt her jaw drop when she saw Pacey stood there, every bit as gorgeous in person as in her memory, the leather jacket causing the heat to rise to her cheeks.

'Nobody puts Joey in the corner,' he stated clearly and reached for her hand which she readily gave him. Pulling her to her feet his eyes swept over her, 'you look beautiful,' he whispered as he led her to the stage.

'What are you doing Pace?' she asked but he just grinned and nodded to Jack as they climbed up on the stage. The film abruptly stopped as he stepped up to the microphone.

'I'm sorry folks. The film will resume in just a few minutes,' he coughed and held Joey's hand tightly. 'I normally do the final dance of the season. It's a bit of a tradition. But this year I was told not to. But I decided not to listen - I'm going to do my kinda dancing with the most beautiful partner in the world, and someone who's taught me that I am someone worth fighting for, that sometimes people will stand up for you no matter what it personally costs them. My partner tonight is someone I'm going to try to be more like because she's taught me about the sort of person I want to be, Miss Josephine Potter.'

A kind of hush fell over the audience and Joey almost thought to tremble in her shoes but didn't because Pacey placed his hands on her and pulled her closer than traditional dancing would require. As the music began, a record put on by Jen, Pacey put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up until her eyes met his. He winked at her and she couldn't help but smile. As they began to dance, all the official and unofficial practice came together. Joey didn't think the steps, they just happened as she responded to Pacey fluidly. They spun across the stage, each move intimate and yet totally professional. Had they been aware of those around them they might have seen Dawson's dropped jaw, hear his mumbled,

'But she can't dance…'

They might have seen Mitch Leery glower, and Gail Leery beam with pride. They might have seen Max Kellerton's surprise at the blatant audience approval. They might have heard the clapping, seen the awed expressions, they may even have heard the rest of the staff holler in approval, particularly Jen. But they were only aware of each other as they danced, Pacey's hands sliding to the curve of her ass, their lips tantalisingly close but yet to meet.

Through unspoken communication the steps they danced were perfect until Pacey jumped off the stage returning with the other staff. He looked to her for approval and with a nod of her head she granted it. She knew what he was asking. His friends held out their hands to her and lifted her from the stage. Without hesitation she ran to Pacey and in one fluid motion he lifted her above his head, the move finally perfected.

He lowered her to the floor, her arms around his neck, both unaware of the people now dancing around them, unaware of all three Leery's staring at them closely, her lips finally meeting his in a much needed kiss. The kiss fused them together allowing everything to flow between them, the physical epitome of their silent communication. Pacey broke the kiss to pull her into the tightest embrace he could manage without hurting her, then pulled back to look at her.

'Now I've had the time of my life,' he mouthed along to the song, 'and I owe it all to you,' he grinned and she laughed as he once more pulled her to him. 'Let's get out of here Jo,' he whispered in her ear and taking her hand led her to the exit. The Leery's stopped them there.

'You were amazing up there,' Gail gushed immediately.

'This doesn't change anything,' Mitch couldn't seem to understand what Gail clearly did. 'I'll have to tell Bessie.'

'Tell Bessie,' Joey shrugged.

'What's happened to you Joey?' Dawson shook his head.

'Dawson - you've always been my best friend, surely you should know that if I'm with Pacey there must be a damn good reason?' she shook her head slightly.

'I just don't think I know you anymore,' he shook his head.

'Then maybe you never did,' she said softly.

'Maybe… I could have never imagined you dancing like that,' he conceded.

'Yeah I know,' she agreed with a smile.

'Give me some time, huh?' he asked and she nodded and taking Pacey's hand she led him from the building.

'Thank you for coming back,' she whispered as they walked under the trees the moonlight filtering through the leaves.

'I couldn't hardly stay away,' he grinned at her. 'I missed you.'

'What will you do tomorrow? The end of the season?'

'There's this little town I've heard about… thought I might visit before I head up to Boston with Jen and Jack.'

'Oh yeah?' she smiled, 'where's that?'

'Capeside. You heard of it?'

'Sounds familiar...'

'There's meant to be a lovely little B&B there… I think I might owe the owners an explanation or two after Mitch Leery has done his duty.'

'I think they'd like to meet you. Alex will adore you,' Joey couldn't stop smiling.

'You think they'll have a room available,' he asked with a wink.

'There'll definitely be a room for you there!' Joey wrapped his arm around her.

'That's what I was hoping,' Pacey kissed her hair as they headed for her room.

'Pace…' she whispered after several moments silence.

'Yeah, me too,' he agreed kissing her hair again.