Into your arms Chapter 14, a dawson's creek fanfic

Hey all - READ THIS PLEASE!

So thank you for reviews and favourites and all the support. I'm not used to posting without stuff written in advance. I don't have a word more of this written. My temptation is to skip the summer - thoughts? Keep along with the show...so have they or haven't they done it...all those questions as in the show...OPINIONS people! Review or PM them. Like I said this grew from a one shot. If you're reading let me know. I thought maybe summer snapshots...

Anyway, enough - please review and help and what not!

Thanks in advance, Tab:-)

p.s. Thanks T80 for the support there - it got me through my technical angst...

Chapter 14

Joey awoke the next morning entangled with Pacey. She'd learnt fairly early on that boating life required breath mints for early morning kisses and she reached into one of her storage bins and grabbed two mints putting one in her mouth and holding the other. She was naked but she didn't think about being naked anymore. Pacey made her feel like a goddess and so with him she was a goddess when naked. Of course she was going to be late to meet Mrs Leery and she needed to talk to Pacey about all that. After a moments hesitation she pushed the mint into his mouth and then kissed him, pressing her naked form up tight to his nearly naked one. The plan was to wake him nicely, tell him she was Mrs Leery's bridesmaid, tell him she loved him and go and meet Mrs Leery in the next half hour and avoid being late.

'Hmmm Joey,' he clearly had a different morning plan than her's. He rolled on top of her, his hard on pressing right between her legs. Thank god he was wearing boxers or all she'd have to do was lift her hips and her virginity would be no more.

'You've woken up happy,' she teased and he grinned before pressing kisses to her chest, his hips bucking against hers and making her gasp.

'I'm always happy when I wake up next to you,' he murmured, 'especially when I know that you love me, especially when I hear you say it...'

'I love you Pacey,' she whispered and he moved against her in just the right way, creating that delectable friction she always seemed to crave.

'And I love you,' he was pressing soft kisses to her lips, his hips moving against hers, his fingers threading through hers and holding them above her head.

'I have to go Pace,' she moaned at length he voice soft because she did not want to go anywhere.

'No, you have to come...' he insisted.

'Pacey,' she cooed, her body arching up to meet his.

'You're so fucking hot,' he groaned and the curse word she once would have found repulsive only made her feel good about herself, made her feel how much Pacey wanted her and made her want him all the more in return.

'Oh,' she burst out as she felt her whole body thrum, to begin its crest towards the dive down that made her feel so utterly wonderful, and then it was happening, her body swooping, as each nerve ending tingled delightfully. She was about to throw Pacey off of her and onto his back and touch him, but he thrust against her, his movements erratic and passionate and then he was groaning and pressing his face into her neck, his body still and his breathing crazily erratic.

'Hmmm, my stamina must be so impressive to you,' he mocked himself in the soft, intimate voice she loved.

'As mine must be to you,' she held him tight. 'I love everything between us Pace. Your stamina included.'

'Good,' he kissed her. 'You said you need to go?' he said and she began to panic.

'Oh god, yeah, I do. I'm mean to be meeting Mrs Leery in like...ten minutes...' she rolled from under him and began hopping around naked looking for her clothes. 'Oh my god,' she looked in the mirror, 'I have total sexed out bed head.'

'Why are you meeting Mrs Leery?' he asked chuckling, handing her her bra.

'She asked me to be her bridesmaid,' Joey admitted with a shy little shrug of her shoulders.

'Oh wow, that's nice,' Pacey seemed genuinely happy for her. 'She's not mad with you at least,' he grinned, 'and you'll look gorgeous I'm sure.'

'You're not mad?' she slid on her tank and wrapped her arms around his waist,

'Of course I'm not mad. I was planning to come along to the wedding. Unobtrusively at the back. Dawson may hate me but Mr and Mrs Leery have been there a lot for the both of us.'

'It's true,' she nodded.

'You love me. I don't need to be jealous. I don't need to be petty and insecure. We both want to be friends with Dawson again and if this helps that, that can only be a good thing.'

'You're the best Pacey.'

'Do you have a brush, because seriously, you look like one loved up frauline,' he grinned.

'I don't have a brush,' she bit her lip. 'But I have a hair band,' she stepped a way from him, tipped her head forward and caught the strands into what she hoped looked like a deliberately messy bun.

'That works,' he grinned and kissed her, a long kiss full of feeling. 'Now go have fun.'

'Can you make sure we have a brush on the boat please?'

'We'll have everything we need, I promise,' he laughed.

'See you later, yeah?'

'Yeah.'

Joey enjoyed spending the day with Mrs Leery, who she was now supposed to call Gale, checking the dresses, marvelling at the cake, getting their hair cut and conditioned. It had been slightly awkward when the hairdresser had tried to brush through Joey's hair and met knot after knot but Gale had only smirked rather knowingly. It was over coffee that Gale brought up the elephant in the room,

'I know you and Dawson are in a strained phase of your friendship at the moment, but you know it's only because he loves you,' she said looking intently at Joey, who flushed.

'I care a lot about Dawson, and I really hope we can mend our friendship,' she said honestly.

'But you love Pacey?' Gale was so appraising in her look that Joey couldn't lie,

'A lot,' she admitted. 'We didn't set out to hurt Dawson, honestly we didn't. He didn't want me, not like that, not until Pacey did. I thought Dawson and I had established that we were just friends, best friends.'

'Sometimes we don't know what we really want until we feel like we're losing it,' Gale stared at her engagement ring and Joey figured she was thinking about cheating on Mr Leery.

'I want Pacey.'

'And Dawson wants you. He will get over that, he will find away to deal with it. Just give him time.'

'I will,' Joey nodded.

'He said you and Pacey are sailing down the coast together?'

'We leave on Sunday,' Joey smiled. 'I haven't been away from Capeside like that for years and years. I think my mom and dad took Bessie and I down to North Carolina one summer, to see some relative.'

'That will be lovely for you,' Gale looked like she was gearing up to say more, 'it must feel like a real adventure.'

'It does,' Joey admitted. 'Jack and Jen are meeting us in Key West for a couple of weeks. We asked Dawson to come along.'

'Dawson is still thinking that over I think. He's worried about you Joey. I am a little bit too...' Gale had her concerned face on.

'Why are you worried about me?'

'Dawson thinks your relationship with Pacey is moving very fast,' Gale said and Joey blushed bright red, 'now it may not be my place, but you don't have a mom and I need to remind you that you don't need to sleep with a boy to keep the boy and...'

'I know that,' Joey squeaked, 'seriously Mrs Leery, I know that and I am under zero pressure to sleep with Pacey.'

'So you haven't slept together...Dawson...'

'Mrs Leery,' Joey interrupted awkwardly. 'I don't have a mom but I have a very protective big sister. Whether or not I've had sex with Pacey is private.'

'Of course Joey, of course it is. I'm sorry.'

'Please don't be sorry. I appreciate that you care, but I'm a private person. It's hard enough talking to Bessie...'

'But you and Bessie have spoken?'

'We've spoken, she took me to the clinic, has given both of us things...we're good.' Joey couldn't help her clipped tones.

'You can always talk to me you know...I figured eventually that you and Dawson would be together and I'd be on hand to offer advice...'

'Thanks Mrs Leery,' Joey hated this assumption that she and Dawson should be together. It felt like pressure.

'You're happy, aren't you?' Gale was back to appraising mode after her brief foray into concerned parent mode.

'I'm really happy,' she said with a small shrug and a small smile.

'Good.'

Joey didn't enjoy the wedding nearly as much as she should have. It was entirely awkward being with Dawson, doing things with a person who could barely look at her. The only bit that was bearable was Pacey's warm smile as she walked up the aisle. Even Dawson's glare couldn't quite manage to counteract the warming effect of Pacey's smile.

Dawson pulled it together for the ceremony, and for the party and pointed speeches. Joey put her all into being happy and lively, to being the person she was supposed to be. Pacey found her on the steps to the back door,

'Hey, gorgeous girl,' he caught her hand and she found herself smiling widely at him,

'You came,' she said and then they were kissing, his hands on her waist, hers curled into the nape of his neck.

'Huh hmmm,' Dawson's cough broke them apart. 'I see all members of the triangle are present and accounted for.'

'Sorry,' Joey said but she took Pacey's hand.

'Yeah sorry,' Pacey agreed.

'Just wondering,' Dawson sighed loudly whilst glaring at Pacey, 'what the hell you're doing here?'

'Ease up man, I'm here for the wedding,' Pacey stated peacefully.

'Last I heard you were heading off and sailing the seven seas,' Dawson ground out bitterly, 'and taking my soulmate with you.'

'Dawson,' Joey protested,

'It's ok Jo,' Pacey said softly, 'I'll go.'

'You do that,' Dawson glowered.

'I'll see you later Jo,' Pacey squeezed her hand and took a step down before turning back, 'things are never gonna be the same between us, are they?'

'No,' Dawson barked.

'No, no I didn't think so,' Pacey nodded and with a last look at Joey headed off.

'Dawson,' Joey protested after a few moments, 'this is ridiculous. I'm sorry but it is. Whatever you think you feel for me is not worth all of this.'

'You can't tell me how to feel Joey,' he all but yelled, 'I know how I feel. I just hate it. I hate all of this. You've ruined everything Joey. It was supposed to be you and me and now it can never be.'

'I can't help that I love him. And just because I love him it doesn't mean I don't care about you.'

'Oh you care about me do you?' he laughed bitterly, 'you invite me on your love voyage. You think I want a first hand seat at the "how much Joey and Pacey love each other" show? You love him the way I love you and I hate it. I hate it Joey. I think you're making a colossal mistake leaving with him this summer and I think eventually you'll regret it, that you'll find your way back to me. But right now I can't stand to even look at you,' his eyes were cold.

'You hate me,' she whispered.

'It's all just words Joey. It doesn't mean anything. What means something is how you feel, and how I feel doesn't change how you feel. You should go. Go be with Pacey. This day is over and I thought I could change things but really I can't.'

'I can't stand you hating me...'

'And I can't stand you loving him,' Dawson shrugged coldly.

'So that's it?' she asked faintly.

'For now,' he nodded.

'I'm going,' she fought back tears determined not to cry.

'Yes go,' he seemed to be fighting back tears of his own.

'Tell your parents goodbye and thank you.'

'Please just go,' Dawson reiterated so she turned and headed in the direction Pacey had gone. He'd be at home she knew, but she headed to the dock instead.

The dock, and the boat were a peaceful space for her. A space where she could fully contemplate the fact that she might very well lose Dawson forever. She wondered what it said about their friendship that he was so willing to relinquish it based on who she fell for. She imagined Dawson wouldn't hate her quite so much had she fallen for anyone else. She wondered whether it was that Dawson saw Pacey as true competition. Competition in every way. Dawson had a history of competing with Pacey, such as the basketball in his face, the accusation of a stolen SAT. Perhaps he felt that in a competition for her affections Pacey stood a real chance of winning, that he was real completion and this was just his method of fighting a really dirty fight. Unfortunately for Dawson, even though she had love for him, there was no real competition. She was Pacey's. She felt sad and raw, as she hadn't realized that by falling in love with Pacey she would lose a friend - her best friend. She knew, in honesty, that her history with Dawson had been complicated, that she had wanted him, but so much had happened and it just hadn't worked, yet he was hanging on tightly, and trying to take her with him. They'd been children really and inevitably as you near adulthood and independence life would change. She sighed.

'That sounds serious,' Pacey's voice was sober.

'I don't think things will ever be the same again for either of us with Dawson,' she said as he jumped on board. Sitting down, he pulled her onto his lap, resting his head on her shoulder.

'I'm sorry.'

'It's ok,' she said but swiped at a tear, 'it's silly really because friendship is about forgiveness. We aren't perfect people and we make mistakes. We didn't even make a mistake Pace, and it has cost us our best friend. Maybe the friendship wasn't what we thought it was.'

'Or maybe it wasn't what he wanted it to be. I did do the wrong thing Jo. I knew you meant something to him. That he considered you a soulmate of sorts. I knew that in his head you were off limits. I broke the rules.'

'But he's not at liberty to decide if I do or don't belong to him. And what about how I felt? Would he deny me happiness with you because he wishes it weren't so. And what would that say about you if you had denied us both what we wanted and needed?'

'I don't know. I don't think I could have denied us this. I couldn't have given up on us, on you. But maybe he feels the same...'

'And the problem is I don't,' she nodded.

'He'll forgive you one day because I think he hopes this is a mistake for you. I think he believes it's a mistake.'

'Exploring possibility is never a mistake,' she sunk into his arms.

'You ok to go to our little send off shindig?' he asked and she nodded.

'I'm even up for having a good time. Then tomorrow I want to sale off into the sunset with you.'

'We're leaving mid morning Jo,' he grinned.

'I was being metaphorical,' she pouted.

'Well metaphorically I hope this is the first of many sunsets we sail off into together.'

'Cheeseball.'

'So when you say it, it's romantic and when I say it I'm being a Cheeseball?' he tickled her lightly until she squealed.

'Metaphorically I hope so too,' she admitted, squealing again as he licked up the column of her neck, 'eewwww.'

'You taste very cheesy,' he announced proudly.

'And you're gross. Don't make me have second thoughts,' she threatened.

'I have about a gazillion special surprises below deck to make your sailing voyage more enjoyable...what am I gonna do with three months worth of tampons? Conditioner for long hair? I even bought you nail polish so I could paint your toes for ya...' he waggled his brows and grinned,

'Fine I'll come along. But it's only for the tampons and pedicure,' she deadpanned.

'Sure,' he winked.

'And the conditioner. I've run out,' she pressed a long kiss to his lips.

'Come on then, let's get going before Grams eats all the sausages,' he plonked her on her feet and taking her hand they headed off.

The send off shindig had been fun. They'd told stories, most of them about the one that got away, though Pacey and Joey had kept silent during those, listening to their friends and to Grams. Grams had eventually driven off with Jack, Andie and Jen, keen to help them get closure, or mend things and Pacey had walked Joey home, spent a long time sharing prolonged kisses, before heading home for the last night.

Joey awoke the next morning nervous. It was early, she could tell because even Alexander wasn't awake. She'd slept surprisingly well but was now awake, and somewhere between terrified and thrilled.

'Why am I not surprised to see you up already,' Bessie handed her sister a coffee as she shuffled sleepily into the kitchen wearing her bunny slippers.

'I feel sick and I can't tell if it's from nervous anticipation or excitement,' Joey mumbled as she slurped her coffee.

'Probably both,' Bessie mused.

'So I know why I'm up but why are you up so early?' she looked at her sister.

'Maybe I'm a little apprehensive about saying goodbye to my little sister as she sails off for three months with a boy,' Bessie suggested with an arched brow.

'He's a very nice boy,' Joey defended.

'He's still a boy,' Bessie stated. 'And I see how that boy looks at you Joey. I see,' she stared intently at her sister.

'Would you...Hmm...be disappointed if...I did, you know...sleep with him?' she asked in a quiet voice.

'Have you slept with him?' Bessie asked sharply and Joey rolled her eyes,

'No, hence my question. And I guess your answer,' she sighed.

'Joey, you'll be seventeen in a month. I was sleeping with Bodie by then. I wish I'd had a big sister to put me on the pill. Condoms are not 100% reliable you know,' she smiled.

'I know. You've told me, like a gazillion times,' Joey smiled back.

'I could never be disappointed in you for that Joey. If you're ready and so is he, and you're safe which is always the most important thing, well then that's ok. Can I ask you something though?'

'Sure,' Joey shrugged.

'Didn't you always picture your first time to be with Dawson?'

'When I was thirteen I guess. Doesn't mean it should be does it?' Joey looked up from where she'd been staring intently at her coffee cup.

'No. God no, otherwise I'd have lost my virginity to your boyfriends brother who I'm fairly convinced is gay,' Bessie laughed and Joey found herself laughing too.

'I'm not saying I will sleep with him, but I do think about it Bess,' she admitted.

'I trust you Joey. That's why you have my permission to go on this trip. I knew there was a very real possibility you'd have sex on that boat, with that boy. You're so in love with him you can't see straight, and Pacey? He's a good kid. A really good kid and he loves you so much he can't see straight. There could be many worse people and situations to lose your virginity with.'

'Thanks Bessie,' Joey stood up and wrapped her arms around her sisters shoulders giving her a hug.

'You know you can ask me anything...about boys, about sex... I know I kind of freak out but I'll still answer.'

'Jen said it'll hurt,' Joey blurted.

'It will, more if you're not ready or are in anyway uncertain. But if you are ready, if you're turned on it only hurts a little.'

'I don't know what you're supposed to do...'

'Follow his lead. You know what I mean by that. He's not a virgin...'

'No,' Joey shook her head, 'makes me worry how I'll stack up...'

'You'll do just fine. He wants you so much it wouldn't matter if you lay there like a sack of spuds...you won't though. If you're into it you'll do a lot of stuff instinctively.'

'So I shouldn't worry?'

'No. You're on the pill, it's as safe as it can be. And sex is fun Joey. Really, really fun.'

'Do I use condoms then, if I'm on the pill? I mean you've been shoving them at us for months,' she looked up at her sister from where she was staring a little too intently at her coffee.

'Yes. Always...at least to start.'

'I don't understand,' she frowned.

'If he's been tested since the last sexual partner and you're both one hundred percent committed to only each other and I mean for certain, then you can forgo condoms.'

'Thanks Bes.'

'That's ok. I hate to think of you being old enough for sex but I would be stupid not to. I love you Joey.'

'I love you too,' Joey realized it was the first time they'd said that to each other in years.

'Now go shower - who knows when you'll have your next one!' Bessie scrunched up her nose as if she could smell her sister already.

'Ok,' Joey gave her sister another hug and headed to the bathroom.

'Hey Potter,' Pacey walked right on in through the front door.

'Weren't we meeting at the boat?'

'I figured you might need a hand with your stuff,' he grinned and flopped down onto the couch, stretching out.

'I'll let you know I've packed very light,' she gave him a haughty look.

'That's because you've spent the last couple of weeks demanding I get this or that for the boat, making me promise there'll be this vital thing on board,' he yawned.

'Like what?' she frowned.

'Hairbrush, tampons, hair bands because you say you always lose them and never have enough. Sunscreen, because we don't want to burn. Rice and pasta to go with the fish. Tinned fruit. Toilet paper. You said to make sure we don't run out. Water. Towels, there must be sea towels and shower towels. And hand washing detergent so you can wash your intimates...and so I can wash mine...'

'Shut up Pacey.'

'And condoms Pacey,' Bessie snarked from the kitchen.

'You're not supposed to be listening,' Joey yelled.

'A whole big tub of them as promised,' Pacey grinned widely at Joey.

'You're never gonna have sex if you're always this annoying,' she humphed.

'And we're not even on the boat yet darlin',' he caught her hand and pulled her towards him, until she was sat on his lap. 'I have sleeping bags, bin bags, hand sanitizer. I have everything but you.'

'And my bag,' she told him sweetly.

'Which you say is small?' he clarified hopefully.

'I've been very restrained,' she nodded.

'This is the bag,' Bessie stated carrying a medium hold all.

'Well that's smaller than mine,' he grinned brightly, standing up, taking Joey with him. 'You impress me Potter.'

'You can have the bag Pace, but I'm delivering my sister to the dock at eleven as agreed,' Bessie stated firmly and Joey loved his pout.

'Fine,' he grumbled. 'Look away Bes, I'm gonna kiss her senseless,' he warned.

'Pacey,' Joey began to protest, her cheeks burning, but then he was kissing her ardently and she didn't care to protest any longer. Bessie merely rolled her eyes, dropped the bag and headed back to the kitchen.

'Shut up Pacey.'

'And condoms Pacey,' Bessie snarked from the kitchen.

'You're not supposed to be listening,' Joey yelled.

'A whole big tub of them as promised,' Pacey grinned widely at Joey.

'You're never gonna have sex if you're always this annoying,' she humphed.

'And we're not even on the boat yet darlin',' he caught her hand and pulled her towards him, until she was sat on his lap. 'I have sleeping bags, bin bags, hand sanitizer. I have everything but you.'

'And my bag,' she told him sweetly.

'Which you say is small?' he clarified hopefully.

'I've been very restrained,' she nodded.

'This is the bag,' Bessie stated carrying a medium hold all.

'Well that's smaller than mine,' he grinned brightly, standing up, taking Joey with him. 'You impress me Potter.'

'You can have the bag Pace, but I'm delivering my sister to the dock at eleven as agreed,' Bessie stated firmly and Joey loved his pout.

'Fine,' he grumbled. 'Look away Bes, I'm gonna kiss her senseless,' he warned.

'Hey Pacey,' Joey called from the dock.

'Joey,' he grinned. 'Hey guys,' he waved to Bessie, Bodie and Alexander. 'You ready?'

'I'm ready,' Joey stated, then looked at her family.

'Make sure she eats, properly. Fruit and vegetables, not just fish and takeout,' Bessie blurted.

'Any sign of bad weather you dock for the night,' Bodie put in, 'if you can't afford a hotel for the night, call me.'

'Make sure you clean your clothes and shower,' Bessie continued.

'And if the seas are rough wear life jackets. And Pacey check out who you're working for when you're odd jobbing. No dodgy bosses please,' Bodie fixed him with a fierce look.

'Have fun. Look after each other and yourselves, and you,' she glared at Pacey, her finger pointed at him, 'you look after my little sister.'

'Bring her back in one piece Pace,' Bodie added.

'I promise,' Pacey nodded seriously.

'Permission to come aboard?' Joey teased after she'd hugged her family and he grinned,

'Permission granted,' he held out a hand and helped her climb on.

'Be safe,' Bessie reiterated.

'Well you guys be safe. And if you need me to come back and help with the B&B tell me.'

'We'll be fine,' Bessie assured her, 'just look after yourself and look after each other.'

'Joey! Pacey!' Jen and Jacks combined voices got everyone's attention.

'Hey,' Joey smiled, but felt the surprising sting of tears. She wanted to go, but it was still hard leaving. Pacey seemed to get it because his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

'Don't you mean goodbye?' Jack quipped.

'We'll see you in Key West. Call us the week before, ok?' Jen jumped on the boat and pulled Joey from Pacey. 'Call before if you want to talk about anything,' she whispered in her ear.

'Ok, thanks,' Joey hugged her tight, and then retrieved Jack from Pacey's enthusiastic man hugs, and she hugged Jack as Jen and Pacey said good bye and then everyone except for the two of them were back on shore, waving as she and Pacey set off.

They were quiet as the dock became smaller and smaller, as their friends and family waving them off disappeared completely.

'How you doing?' Pacey asked.

'Me?' she gave a small laugh, 'half terrified, half exhilarated.'

'But good with your decision?' he asked and she looked at him,

'Great with my decision.'

'Might have been less emotional if we'd just snuck off,' he mused and she shook her head,

'This feels better though.'

'I love you Joey,' he said and she sidled up close to him, fixing herself to his side under his arm.

'I love you too,' she said and loved the way he grinned, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

'We dock in a couple of hours. The course is pretty fixed. D'ya want to play cards?'

'Not really,' she shook her head.

'We could read a book?' he suggested,

'Hmmm, not right now.'

'You happy just standing there?'

'Pretty much,' she summarized, 'well maybe we could sit here and just talk some?'

'Sounds good to me,' he pulled on a cap and plonked a sun hat on her head and pulled her down onto his lap as he sat. For a long time they sat in silence. 'Barnacle for them?'

'A barnacle?' she turned to look at him and giggled.

'Ocean currency.'

'Just thinking that it's a little surreal to be sailing off into the metaphorical sunset in your arms.'

'You mean given how much you adored me as a kid?' he chuckled.

'Given that yeah,' she turned and kissed his lips briefly.

'I really used to rub you up the wrong way,' he mused.

'And now you rub me up the right way,' she smirked.

'Everyone always goes on about how opposites attract,' Pacey began and Joey shrugged,

'We're different and we're not. I take things seriously and you don't always take them seriously enough. I'm always early, you're always late.'

'And together we have balance,' Pacey nodded.

'I admire you more that you think.'

'You admire me?' he scoffed a little.

'You are a very decent person. I want to be more like you. I haven't always been so nice, or so easy, whereas you - you're kind and patient and caring, and upstanding...you're a pretty amazing guy.'

'Who thinks you're an amazing girl,' he squeezed her lightly. 'And thanks. It doesn't hurt to hear that you like me.'

'Love you,' she clarified.

'I think sailing makes you a little smultzy,' he gave her a soft smile.

'I think you make me a little smultzy,' she admitted and he chuckled.

'Ok, tell me the one thing you're most looking forward too?' he asked brightly.

'You mean today, on the trip, in life?' she arched her brows at him.

'Today.'

'Hmmm, after dinner, and teeth and all that, getting to sleep in a bed with you, without anyone else. Just us. No need to worry about how loud we talk, nobody in the same town hating us together, just being you and me., alone, together.'

'That sounds pretty good,' he nodded looking thoughtfully ahead.

'What was yours?' she asked with knowing eyes.

'Dinner under the stars, but I like yours better.'

'This is our trip, we get to do it all,' she pointed out.

'Talking of doing it all, I want to put in a line and see if a fish might bite.'

'You go right ahead,' she smirked.

'Well little Ms Lazy, I got you something to do, so you don't get to just hang about sittin' pretty.'

'What did you get me?' she asked surprised, as he ducked below deck and appeared thirty seconds later.

'Sketch pad and a tin of pencils. I figured we could do with a visual record of the trip,' he shrugged.

'Pacey,' she said honestly touched, but she caught his hand. 'Please tell me you brought the camera?'

'I did,' he nodded with a grin.

'Then thank you!' She put them beside her and kissed him, no longer thinking of fishing lines, food, drawing, or all they'd just left, 'Seriously, thank you.'

'Anytime,' he nodded, but she didn't release him and soon he was no longer thinking of sketching, or fishing, or where the boat was headed, all the outside stuff fading out until it was just them, on the ocean, in their boat.