A/N: Sorry, Firefox Mac No Uploads
In any event, in my first draft this alternate Season 4 ended everything just about here - leaving Dawson and Joey up in the air. However, comments have nudged me to rewrite this chapter and add a new, last one. There is a Doug/Jack sighting for someone :) See how much I love comments, and how they get me back writing more:D
This is a chapter of vignettes showing the 3 months between mid-February and late May (Prom). Mostly of how Dawson tried to win Joey back, and how Pacey and Andie began building forever...
Dawson raced down the hallway of the hospital until he saw his father.
"What happened?" he demanded, almost skidding to a stop.
"She started having contractions…"
"But it's way too early!" Dawson panicked.
"We know," Mitch put an arm around his son.
From inside the room, they heard Gale moan loudly and moved quickly to her side.
"Well," the nurse was saying, watching a machine.
"Well, what?" Mitch demanded.
"One moment," she told them as exited.
"Argh!" Mitch burst.
"Honey? Could you see if there's a vending machine? I think your father needs a water," Gale asked her son through clenched teeth.
Dawson nodded and left the room, a little frightened by the expression on his parents' faces.
He stopped short at the nurses' station. "Jen?"
"Some guy had like an attack while on the phone with Grams," she explained. "Mr. Brooks?"
Dawson shrugged, the name familiar but not ringing any specific bells.
"What about you?"
"We're trying to figure out what's going on with my mom and the baby."
Then he saw the doctor follow a nurse back into his mom's room, closing the door after them.
"Uh," Dawson dragged a hand down his cheek. "That's bad, right?"
"Don't assume anything," she advised, tugging his hand to follow him as they wandered the hospital corridors.
"Water. I'm supposed to be getting a bottle of water."
"All right. Let's walk. Let's find. Let's talk. Tell me about Joey."
"What's there to tell?"
"Bus ride home from the ski trip; you, Joey and the afterglow. I'm assuming you're no longer virgin prince of my handheld fantasies?"
Dawson colored.
"So how did it feel to have all your dreams come true?"
"I never really got to find out. We climbed out of bed and fell down an elevator shaft."
"So…4 stars, then?"
"At a certain point, the whole thing became too much to process. My brain just shut down and right now I'm just operating on sheer instinct. Which is liberating. Terrifying, nauseating, exhilarating…but liberating."
"So what does your instinct tell you to do?"
"Well, for starters…" he coughed.
"And while I laud the intent," Jen laughed. "You might want to take a look at the relationship you two have with your clothes on."
"The topic and meat of the screenplay that will eventually win me my first Oscar."
"In the meantime…"
"There's minefield between us worthy of an entire Sting album. And ideas for getting across?"
"Bring her a cup of coffee in the morning and ask how she slept."
"That's what the great sage, Jen Lindley, has to offer?"
"Hey, I'm the one the freshman broke up with by proxy."
"But you took a chance."
"I did. Mostly because Henry stuck. Well, until the ignoble end. But there is a lesson there. Stick, Dawson. Stick and don't push, you know?"
"It's a start," Dawson gave her a grateful smile.
"You're one of the good guys, Dawson. You'll figure this out." She bumped his arm with her shoulder. "Hey, I think that's your Dad."
"Thanks, Jen," Dawson called as he raced to his father's side.
"It's all right," Mitch said, hugging him. "I mean, she's on modified bedrest for a while, but it's all right."
Dawson clapped his father on the back before going into the room with him to see his mom.
"You ready?"
"You're sure we have to do this?"
"I'm sure, And. We gotta start this as we mean to continue. Dougie used to say that to me all the time, now it's making sense. Unless you're having second…"
"Pacey, my father can be pretty awful."
"Yeah, got the scars to prove it. But he loves you. So do I."
Andie pushed the sunglasses up into her hair and gave Pacey the thumbs up. After a 2-hour argument over who was going to be the one to talk to her father, they'd finally reached the obvious conclusion.
Pacey took her hand and they walked into the restaurant together.
Joey stepped out of her room, racing for coffee and watching the clock.
"Here," Dawson held out a cup of coffee from her favorite drive-thru. "Uh, how did you sleep?"
"What…" she looked around, but he was the only one in the kitchen. "What are you doing here, Dawson?"
"Here's the thing," he began, carefully. "I love you. OK, I've always loved you. But what I'm saying is, I'm in love with you."
She stood, peering at him with wary eyes.
"I know that this is fucked up, Jo. Practically beyond all recognition. All I'm asking for here is a chance."
"I don't have time for this, not this morning."
"Let me drive you to school."
She shook her head. "It will just confuse things that are already too confused."
"No, it will just convey us to where we need to go."
"Dawson, not now," she sighed.
He placed the coffee on the table and raised his hand in supplication. Everything inside his head was telling him to have it out with her. And then, for an instant, he saw Pacey's stupid smile. Clenching his fist, he forced himself to step back. "OK, no pressure here. I promise. You've called me an eternal optimist. But Spielberg once said he didn't want to be called that. He said he preferred to be called hopeful. Well, that's how I am about us, Jo. I still have hope."
She watched as he left, and then grabbed the truck keys and went out the door herself. Leaving the coffee behind.
They caught the 2:15 out of Logan to Miami.
He carried both their backpacks onto the plane, she held a bag with some bottled water and magazines.
They were quiet.
After takeoff, he tapped her shoulder as she stared out the little oval window.
"He doesn't think we'll make it," she shuddered. "No one does."
"Don't you remember what Cusack said in that movie? That's the start of every great love story."
She wiped her cheek and nodded. He leaned back in his seat, keeping a hand in her hair.
Joey stepped out of her bedroom the next morning, buttoning her sweater absently.
Dawson was standing in the kitchen again.
"What, do you have a key?" she demanded.
"No, I beamed in."
"Good, then you can beam out."
"Nothing of any value in this world comes at an easy price," he shrugged, holding out a cup of coffee.
"We can't keep doing this," Joey complained.
"Joey, you won't take my calls. You avoid me in school. You dropped out of Prom Committee. My choices have been severely limited here."
"You have to go now," she instructed. "Seriously, I need some time alone to review my Lit notes before school."
"I'll be back," he promised, before putting down the coffee and leaving.
She stared at it for a long time.
Andie found him sitting on the bow of the boat, his legs dangling. She lowered herself next to him.
"Heard about the fight you had with Angie," she said quietly.
"Yeah," Pacey looked out at the water. "And if you don't mind, I'd like to skip the usual passive-aggressive banter."
Andie sighed. "What happened?"
"She bumped me back down to washing dishes."
"You took off with little notice," she reminded him.
"I spent 9 months – "
"Off and on," she teased.
"-Working my way up in that kitchen."
"And you'll get back to the fun stuff soon, I'm sure," Andie bumped his shoulder with hers.
"You're supposed to be on my side, especially since you're the reason I left on that little jaunt."
"I am on your side. But you may remember that in the codicil to subparagraph B as negotiated in the Capeside Reveal of our sophomore year, I do retain the right to disagree."
"Only when I'm wrong," Pacey argued.
Andie giggled, a merry sound that made him scowl.
"Ahoy the boat!" Trick called from the pier, a beer in his hand and a smile on his face.
Pacey helped Andie up and they hopped over to him.
"My friends at Constitution Yacht Club called back, you've got a place there for 2 nights if you want it."
Pacey pulled the pencil from behind his ear and scrambled to check the map they had taped to the wall belowdecks. "What dates?"
"'Bout May 5th," Trick answered.
"Prom's late May," Andie mused. "Would we still make it?"
"We don't want to be coming in much sooner. We're chasing weather as is. You should just fly home, like I suggested in the first place."
"Because the goal here is for me to be dancing with myself while you get lost in the Atlantic?"
"Point to the lady," Trick laughed.
"All right, so that's the first stop of the great Witter-McPhee spring sea procession home confirmed," Pacey smiled with satisfaction as he climbed back up on the deck. "I've never planned something so far in advance in my life."
Trick indicated the main house with his chin. "Then let's go celebrate," he suggested.
Pacey held out his hand, and Andie took it. "Let's."
Friday morning, Joey swung her backpack over her shoulder as she exited her room and didn't frown at Dawson, waiting in the kitchen.
"So what's the plan here?"
"The plan? Well, first of all, I'm hoping that you'll tell me if you switched to tea. Because at this point, I've signed up for some kind of a frequent buyer plan at the coffee place that may include selling some kind of a body part in the future."
She grabbed the coffee and took a sip. "The coffee is good, actually."
"You're welcome," he smiled. "I know that on top of everything else, we launched out relationship into some uncharted territory last month but I honestly think regardless of how complicated things are, we'll be fine if we just take it a day at a time."
"I'm not ready for a whole day of…"
"All right," he interrupted, afraid she would cancel the small moment they were sharing. "We'll start with 5 minutes. Can you do 5 minutes?"
She gave him a long look and sat down at the table. He slowly sat down across from her.
"Remember the first time we said I love you?"
Joey nodded, slowly.
"We broke up like 10 seconds later. I don't want us to repeat that history, Jo. What we felt that night at the ski lodge, that something was finally and absolutely right between us... that was the single most true moment of my life. And refuse to let it become just the prelude to another heartbreak. You just have to…"
Before he could finish, Joey looked up at the clock and without a word, grabbed her coat and jacket and headed out the door.
Dawson swore.
The rain played percussion on the bulkhead of the True Love as Pacey and Andie sprawled below on the bench seats; the table piled high with papers, the open laptop, and mugs of half-drank coffee and tea between them.
"This is a waste of time."
"Mmm hmm." She responded casually, sipping her tea.
"Look," Pacey said seriously. "The truth is that I'm that stereotypical guy who can't handle it when his girlfriend is headed to Harvard while he's a dishwasher."
"Pacey, you're not that guy."
"I feel like that guy. Because as much as I want not to care, and as much as I wish that I could just let it roll off of my back, I can't. I'm jealous. Not just because for you this has been a working vacation and for me this has been… life. But of all the people who are going to get to experience you next year while I'm not."
Andie exhaled and looked at him. "Bullshit."
"Uh, pardon me?"
"Bullshit, Pace. You have as many paths open to you as I have to me. Different, because we're strong and weak in different ways. You're just as smart as I am but where I get great grades and fumble socially, you got mediocre-"
"Heinous," he corrected.
"-Grades and charm everyone in your path. I'm going to go to Harvard and become a doctor. Knowing that is both a blessing and a curse. Having your future mapped out at 12 years old may seem cool until you meet a man who brings joy and spontaneity and adventure into your life. You're interested in cooking, one of these places will teach you how. Maybe it will be great, maybe it won't. Sometimes I get jealous of you because always have that in front of you, that discovery waiting. But mostly? Bullshit because we're going to be together, Pace. Whatever Fate brings us in terms of dreams and paths and experiences, we are the ones who choose our traveling companions."
Pacey leaned across the table and took her hand, carefully kissing the tender spot on her wrist.
"And another thing, don't ever tell me that you're 'less than' or unworthy."
Pacey met her gaze and nodded, solemnly. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Pace."
"All right," he said, clearing his throat and pulling out one of the brochures. "What do we have here?"
"Does that one have the semester abroad thing?" Andie asked.
"No, but the price is absolutely right."
Andie wrinkled her nose. Pacey glanced at her and laughed. "Of course, I should also mention that all classes are over the Internet."
"Great way to learn how to be a chef!" she snickered as he tossed it in the recycle bin.
"Wait!" Pacey held up one of the catalogs. "Wow, Andie… look at this."
She put down her mug and took the book from him. "Oh, Pace, this looks amazing. Cordon Bleu, semester abroad…and it's, hang on," she began tapping keys. "Less than 2 miles from the Yard."
"But check out the requirements," he sighed, reading the back cover. "There's no way…"
Andie growled at him. With a shake of his head, he dug up the legal pad and found a pen.
"First you need your G.E.D.," she dictated. "Then two recommendations from professional chefs…"
It was a late winter snowstorm, wet and gray. Joey groaned as she hunted for her boots.
"Can I help?" Dawson asked, sipping a coffee. Because he was starting to like the stuff from Joey's favorite drive-thru.
"No," She huffed with frustration. "You know, this doesn't change anything. It doesn't give us back the first time. It doesn't undo finding out you were cheating on Gretchen. It doesn't…"
"I know," Dawson stepped beside her. "And if I could take all that back, I would. But we have to start somewhere."
Joey stood, defiant and dry-eyed. "It was supposed to be…"
"I know," Dawson agreed. "I know. Don't you think that's what I wanted, too? It was the single most important night of my life, and instead of being this magical, crystalline memory it has become a wedge between us. I don't have any more apologies. But I'm not giving up, Jo. My relationship with you is too essential. So, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm…sticking. "
"You're sticking? My own blonde Marion Ravenwood?"
Dawson smiled. It felt new to him. "Try me," he asked.
She looked at the clock. "Look, we'll be late."
"I'll drive," Dawson offered.
"Fine," she agreed softly.
Pacey exited the classroom at the community college, sweaty and tired.
"8 hours is so extreme," Andie said, walking up and hugging him.
"I didn't pass," he said, holding her tight. "There's no way I just passed all that. No way they're gonna give me my G.E.D. I should have prepared at least a couple more weeks. Months. Maybe years, McPhee."
"You aced all the pre-tests," Andie demurred. "Have some confidence."
"It's not lack of confidence," he argued. "It's reality."
Dawson didn't notice at first that something wasn't right because he was studying at the kitchen table.
But it became obvious when she came down the hall in her pajamas.
"What's wrong?" he looked up.
"Go on without me. My throat hurts and my head hurts... I don't have any midterms until 3rd period, I'm going to see if I feel better by then."
He stared at her. "What can I do?"
"Nothing. Go to school," she padded back to her room.
Dawson stepped into her bedroom minutes later with a paper bag. "I got some pain reducer stuff and a bottle of disgusting cold medicine. And a lollipop the pharmacist says works great on sore throats for kids." He unwrapped it and held it out to her.
"Thanks," she whispered, stuffing it in her mouth.
He pulled off his coat and pulled the chair over, kicking off his shoes and putting his feet up on her bed. "I have the same first midterm as you. You want to quiz each other or just rest?"
"Uh, rest for a bit, I think," she rewrapped the lollipop and took some of the medicine.
He nodded and pulled a book from his bag. Opening it, he began reading. Joey watched him for long minutes in the silence, before falling back to sleep.
Pacey came off shift, walking across the lawn towards the boat. Waving an envelope at Andie, who smiled from the pier.
"I passed!" he shouted, starting to run.
He caught her and twirled her up in the air. "I passed!" he laughed.
"I knew you would!" she boasted. "Now we have to finish the applications."
"First things first," he waggled his eyebrows and Andie raced him back to the boat.
The credits rolled up on the screen as they lay watching, side by side, on his bed.
It was the first time she'd been to his house since the ski trip.
He looked over at her and caught her smile. Without closing his eyes, he slowly leaned over and kissed her.
She kissed him back. Tentatively. With only their lips touching yet everything else connecting.
With a long sigh, he finally pulled his head back and gazed at her eyes. "You all right?" he asked.
"Dawson?" Mitch's voice rang from the bottom of the stairs. "Your mother's water just broke!"
Jack put his feet in Jen's lap and chatted with his sister on the phone tucked against his ear.
"I got the fax. It was even somewhat legible. This is quite the cruise, sis," he leafed through some papers with dates and places on them. "Have you heard from Pacey's applications yet?"
"His backup school accepted him but they're an hour from Cambridge," Andie sighed. "Nothing yet from his first choice. Do you have a date to Prom yet?"
"I thought it would just be me and Jen, but now she's got her meddling face on."
Andie's laugh echoed from Florida.
"Hang on, sis, that's Joey beeping on the other line."
"I have to hang up anyway, I'm working a banquet in about 15 minutes."
Jack said his goodbyes and flashed the phone.
"Jack? We're at the hospital…"
Joey and Dawson stood in the hallway with Jack, Jen, Bessie, and Grams nearby.
Mitch exited the room, exhausted and glowing. Everyone turned.
"Dawson!" he cried, pulling his son into his arms. "Would you like to meet your sister, Lillian?"
"Lillian?" Bessie and Joey shared a long, sentimental look.
Mitch pushed the door open, for them all to see.
"We are now, officially, out of International waters," The Commodore announced jovially.
Trick reached down and plucked the beer from Pacey's hand. He didn't protest. The Commodore had been very accommodating in allowing Andie back, so respecting him by following all the rules was no big deal. Instead, he stood and stretched, then headed out to the deck.
Trick tapped Jack and Ed, who were also underage; they tossed their cans in the recycling bin.
Doug followed his brother, glancing down the rail where the rods had long since been detached and put away. "Does anyone ever actually catch any fish on these fishing trips?"
"Oh, yeah. My first trip I swear I hooked a blue that was at least 150 pounds. And those things fight."
"Did you reel it in?"
"Well, no. But the battle was epic; went on for over an hour and I swear to you Doug, my arms were about to fall off. Very Old Man and the Sea."
Doug gave him a look.
"Or, in your language, very 90210, you know – when Dylan took Brenda out that one time?"
Doug rolled his eyes. "I think I enjoy fishing back home, more."
"So do I, actually. The trips we took were always more memorable than these, but then again – I'm not knocking a day like today on a boat like this."
Doug was surprised, but didn't say anything.
Jack joined them, handing a cold can of soda over to Pacey. "Damn, that's gorgeous," he sighed, sitting down in a deckchair and looking at the lightshow the sky was putting on for a sunset. "I see why you stayed, Pacey."
"Yeah, it gets in your blood," he and Doug both settled in chairs themselves. "Time moves differently down here. I mean, people say that – but then you live it for a year and realize how true it is. We'll be back, I think. For vacations, anyway."
Doug continued to give his brother a long, thoughtful look.
Jack cleared his throat. "So you're missing Easter with the rest of your family, Doug?"
"Uh," Doug shook his head. "Yeah. But not really missing it, if you know what I mean. How about you, Jack?"
"My family hasn't been big on holidays since, well, the last few years. I'm losing out on Grams' spread, though."
"Well, I'll see what we can do for you," Pacey promised. "Although the thought of getting up and peeling 50 pounds of potatoes tomorrow…"
"Honest work," Doug toasted him.
Pacey tossed him a rueful grin. "Last big hurrah before we bring the True Love back north," he mused, watching the last bit of sun slip away, leaving the sky an impossible blue that merged with the sea.
The running lights of the yacht flickered on brighter, and three men settled back into their chairs, watching the heavens in silence.
It was a beautiful night.
She heard him calling and turned. "I missed you this morning."
"My adorable new baby sister is a night owl," Dawson explained, jogging up and handing her a cup of coffee.
Joey dimpled a bit as she accepted it, taking a small sip. The warning bell echoed across the lawn and they headed back towards the school.
Joey felt Dawson slip his hand around hers.
The high school equivalent of a billboard: Dawson and Joey are Dating Again!!
She stopped and looked down, then back at Dawson. She felt like every student on the lawn was watching them, waiting to see what she'd do.
Dawson waited, too.
Joey felt a thousand emotions spin through her like sagebrush. Her first instinct was to pull back, to slip back into the folds of invisibility she'd try to forge over the past. Then she felt his thumb stroke the back of her hand, a tiny little movement. Her heart beat faster. The wind ruffled his hair as he stood, letting her decide.
Joey took a deep breath and nodded. Hand in hand, they walked together to Homeroom.
Leaning against a tree, Drue Valentine lowered his camera and checked the shot in the preview window.
Class Couple, together again. Originally he'd meant it as a prank but it turned out the joke was on him.
Well, what can you do?
It seemed the entire staff of the Luca Island Yacht Club turned out to see them off.
The True Love was literally packed to the point of capsizing. Angie ran up with a basket of food as they were about to cast off.
"Thanks," he whispered, his voice rough with emotion, as he gave the head chef a peck on the cheek.
Trick gave them a final salute. "Be well, boyo. And take care of your lady," he pulled Pacey into quick embrace. "Stay in touch, yeah?"
With a hard pull, the line was free. Pacey turned the motor and sent the boat towards open water.
Andie fought back tears at his side, waving goodbye.
"Hey," he whispered.
"Yes?" she caught her breath, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"I forgot to ask," he kissed her lightly. "Will you go to Prom with me, Andie?"
Andie wrinkled her nose, "Yes, Pacey, I think I should."
Bessie entered the room and began heating water for tea. "I am really glad you two have made up, because I couldn't take losing my mornings any more."
"Thanks for your patience, Bessie," Dawson responded.
Joey looked at him in contemplation. Then she shrugged and went back to her room to finish getting ready for school.
Bessie and Dawson shared a quick look and he quickly followed Joey out of the room.
"What was that?"
"What?" Joey asked, packing books into her backpack.
"That expression on your face, back there. When Bessie said we'd made up. We have, right?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Joey?"
She zipped her bag and dropped it to the floor. Then started pulling on her boots.
"What, Dawson?"
"This is going to sound somewhat prepubescent but I can actually find no other way to ask – you are my girlfriend, right?"
"I guess," she shrugged.
"Joey, I'm going to need a clearer and more enthusiastic response than that. If you could just, stop a second here…" Anxiety began to creep up his throat.
"I don't know, Dawson. I don't know what that means. I don't know how you feel."
"Me?" he sputtered. "I think I have been brilliantly clear on the subject. I'm all in, Jo. 100. What's going on with you?" He demanded, sitting beside her.
"Sex, Dawson."
"OK, what about it?"
"I'm not sure I'm ready…"
"OK, then you're not. Have you seen me pushing?"
"No, but… it's only natural. We've done it once already, and Prom's coming up, and I can't help but think…"
"Stop right there," Dawson pleaded. "First of all, just because we made love last winter doesn't mean I assume we're going to do it again on any specific date. I think when it feels right for both of us, we'll know."
"So you don't want to?"
"Of course, I want to," he exhaled in a gust. "You're beautiful, I'm in love with you, and I'm a teenaged male. But what we're building here is more important."
She nodded, slowly. "I keep waiting for you to get impatient, to want to…I don't know… to go back or forward or something that's more than kissing and holding hands. To tell me that it's time for me to get over what happened before, because I know you're thinking it."
"I'd be lying if I told you that I don't think about being with you. I do, all the time. But wanting something and expecting it are two entirely different things. And I am tired of feeling guilty, but that's my penance and I'll do it."
"Penance?" She stood and faced him. "So you're just putting up with my punishment of you?"
"No! Joey, don't do this. Don't escalate this back into something after we have worked so hard for so many months to get us back!"
She huffed a few breaths. "I don't know why I feel like this, Dawson. It's making me crazy."
He stood and took her hands in his. "What can I say?"
Her eyes were bright and bewildered.
"So, wait," he touched his forehead to hers. "Was that you agreeing to go to Prom with me back then?"
"If you get around to asking."
"I'm asking, Joey. Will you go to Senior Prom with me?" She inhaled deeply but before she could answer, Dawson added, "No anticipation on either side of anything more than a dance, and a good time, all right?"
She exhaled. "Yes, Dawson. I will go to Prom with you."
