This has taken ages and ages. I'm happy enough with it to post. Some may hate it...others may be happy with it. Please keep in mind that in this story I feel this is appropriate, and that the timeline is ok. I hope you agree! Please let me know one way or another...

Chapter 21

The Argument

Joey was in a bad mood and she wasn't really sure why, just that everything was irritating and things just felt off. Well maybe she knew that part of it was hormones, and the fact that she was going to get her period in the next few days, but she loathed the way hormones could effect her, and she absolutely hated Pacey daring to suggest that her bad mood might be in any way down to them. She was also pretty certain part of her bad mood was his utter inability to leave her alone, despite the fact that she was clearly finding it difficult to be pleasant. She wanted to read and thus he wanted to chat. She wanted to draw and he needed her to do some other sailing thing that she just didn't want to do. And if he even dared suggest she gut the fish - yet more fish! - for their dinner, well she was going to throw him overboard.

'Feeling better?' he dropped his weighty arm along her shoulder, and she sighed in irritation.

'Pace, I'm really not in the mood,' she muttered.

'Not in the mood for what? I just asked a question,' even his frown and inability to comprehend what she meant irritated her.

'For physical contact,' she shrugged at his arm which he removed with a huff.

'Normally we're in constant physical contact so you could at least say it nicely,' he defended perfectly reasonably but it just wound her up,

'But I'm not feeling nice,' she growled.

'What is your glitch today? Is this hormones or did I do something to seriously piss you off?' he was staring at her expectantly and she crossed her arms defensively.

'You mean like leave the toilet seat up yet again in the middle of the night? You mean like dropping your clothes all over the floor? What about like just expecting me to clear up the breakfast crap? You never make the bed and if I have to eat fish again I'm going to throw it at you.'

'You took my clothes off me Joey, and then threw them!' he threw up his hands in frustration, 'I asked if you minded doing the breakfast stuff because I was busy getting us ready to leave. So I never make the bed - newsflash Jo - neither do you! We're both as bad as each other and there's not a lot I can do about the fish until we pick up some more work...'

'Let me guess, more work hurling fish!' she glared at him.

'I'm gonna ask you again Jo - what's your glitch? I get that I suck about the toilet seat, and yeah the bed is messy. I'll try and do better, but seriously, you're gonna start on the type of odd job we have to pick up? There isn't anything I can do about that. If you wanna be here then it's hauling fish I'm afraid.'

'Maybe, right now I don't want to be here,' she stormed and stood up, hopping off the boat and onto the dock.

'Don't cop out and run away,' he yelled at her retreating form and she turned back to glare at him,

'I am not running away. I just don't want to be here right now so I can clean up, or have my space invaded, or just...anything to do with fish.'

'Fine, be like that!' he shouted.

'I will,' she snarled.

Joey grabbed at the phone and shoved money into the slot. Dialling she then waited as the call connected and finally rang,

'Hello,' Jen sounded like her mouth was full.

'We had an argument,' she poured her woes into her phone frustrated to find herself crying.

'Oh hey Jo, of course you did,' Jen hurried to say.

'What do you mean?' Joey sniffed.

'You're on a boat together...that's a very small space...you're gonna irritate each other...'

'But normally we don't,' Joey complained hating the tears that snuck down her face.

'Are you hormonal?' Jen asked and Joey humphed,

'No,' she complained.

'Joey...' Jen's voice was teasing.

'Ok, so maybe a little, but I hate that always being the reason for every bad mood. You know he's messy, and always there and...God...I'm totally hormonal...'

'It's ok Joey. You know Pacey is annoying, you've always thought so,' Jen was clearly smirking.

'Oh shut up Jen,' Joey rolled her eyes, 'he's annoying and adorable. I love him like mad. I just...I don't know, I'm having a mood.'

'What type of mood, if it's not pre-menstrual?' Jen asked and there was a long pause, 'Joey...come on you can be honest...'

'I'm worrying...'

'What's new?' Jen asked.

'I get scared of how much I love him Jen. That's so stupid, and then I get to thinking about how I've lost Dawson because of this...of how much life has changed. My life is always changing Jen. I don't get to keep anything...'

'Joey, worrying about losing Pacey is understandable. But you guys love each other. Have faith in that...'

'But I loved Dawson and apparently Dawson loved me and now he hates me. I could very easily cause everyone in my life to hate me. I'm not that nice Jen.'

'I know you're horrid but apparently Pacey thinks the sun shines out of your ass.'

'Haha,' Joey rolled her eyes,

'Joey you deserve this. You do. You deserve to be happy and so does Pacey, and he loves you for a reason.'

'I told him I want to sleep with him,' Joey admitted quietly.

'Oh my god, that's huge...'

'But not a surprise,' Joey acknowledged.

'No, not a surprise,' Jen laughed.

'We both want to sleep with each other,' Joey stated.

'You mean your hot boyfriend wants to have sex with you? I'm so surprised.'

'Jen,' Joey complained.

'So you both want to have sex together...what's the problem?' Jen was now taking it seriously.

'You remember when I rang you about the poker night...'

'Hell yeah,' Jen laughed.

'Well that night was fun Jen. I did...you know...what you said. It was...well yeah,' Joey blushed.

'Wow, Joey Potter, you saucy little minx,' Jen shrieked.

'Well our betting got a little extravagant and I won, and...well the end result is that when I give him a certain card we have sex.'

'So give him the goddamned card Joey!' Jen yelled causing Joey to wince.

'That's the thing Jen. I'm so confused. I want it to be romantic...it's my first time, but I also can't get enough of him and well sometimes I just want to rip his clothes off. I find it very difficult to work out how on earth it should go. I mean, romance is all fine, but if it's too romantic I may over think it and sometimes when my brain gets in the way it's harder to get carried away, if you know what I mean...'

'I know what you mean. The thing is Jo, you love him and he loves you. Doesn't matter if you end up doing it in the bathroom, it'll still be special...'

'Maybe,' Joey hesitated, 'but not in the bathroom,' she added and Jen laughed,

'I don't think you'll be anywhere near a bathroom. You want my advice?'

'That's why I'm calling?' Joey rolled her eyes.

'Don't try and make it a big event. One day he'll do something that makes your heart throb with love and then, just go for it. Sex doesn't need to be worried over. And don't be put off if it isn't as wonderful as you imagine. It usually isn't at first.'

'Ok, thank you Jen. And sorry I'm always asking you for advice.'

'I love that you ask me for advice. I love that we're friends,' Jen said.

'Do you want to talk about anything?'

'Yeah I do,' Jen stated. 'About how excited Jack and I are to get to Key West.'

'When are you leaving?'

'A week Tuesday. Make sure that tent is set up Jo...'

'Course I will!' Joey laughed.

'Seriously this summer has been so dull. Dawson is all into photography and Andie is all about summer school for extra credit. Joey, I know you're extra credit mad too but that's crazy.'

'You probably shouldn't say that,' Joey grinned.

'Ok, ok...' Jen laughed, 'we are having fun Jo, but not as much as if you and Pacey were here.'

'Well that's always nice to hear,' Joey stated happily. 'And um...Dawson...is he ok?'

'He's ok. Still pissed about you guys. Makes him kinda hard to tolerate sometimes, but I am tolerating him. I am looking out for him, and he's ok. If he could let it go, he'd probably be happy. His mom and dad are back together, he's actually pretty good at photography, he's not ugly...he's really milking the jilted lover thing.'

'He wasn't a jilted lover. He's a friend that didn't like his other friends being together...'

'I know, I know,' Jen sighed. 'And he still doesn't get that.'

'Will he ever come round?'

'I think so Jo. At some point he's got to otherwise he's going to be lonely.'

'I don't want to put you or Jack or anyone in an awkward position Jen...'

'He's putting us in the awkward position Joey. Not you, not Pacey. Him and he's gonna have to deal with the consequences.'

'Thank you Jen.'

'Now go apologize to your boyfriend for being a hormonal wench.'

'Hey,' Joey protested.

'What?'

'Only Pacey gets to call me a wench.'

'For gods sake you soppy girl, go screw his brains out then.'

'Maybe I will,' Joey muttered. 'Bye Jen.'

'Bye Joey,' Jen giggled.

Joey approached the boat feeling nervous. All her anger and frustration had completely evaporated and all she was now feeling was a little embarrassed. She wasn't exactly sure how Pacey was going to react to her, especially given her over reaction earlier. She climbed onto the boat, and called out softly,

'Pace are you here?' she looked over the deck, but the boat deck was empty, and the cabin was dark. She sighed and fought back the sting of tears. It was possible, she conceded, that she had messed everything up. She hoped she hadn't because the alternative was unbearable. The difficulty was that when life was unbearable she wanted and needed Pacey, and so she was beginning to feel a little sick. She swiped at a tear that escaped her eye and headed down the steps hoping the cabin wasn't locked. Thankfully the door opened and she stepped into the darkness.

'Joey,' Pacey's voice came out from the darkness and she screamed.

'Oh my god,' she gasped, her heart racing, 'you scared the living crap out of me.'

'I'm sorry. I wanted to surprise you,' he whispered.

'Well success,' she put her hand to her heart, still blinded by the darkness. 'Any chance we can turn on a light?'

'Sure,' she heard his laugh, but was surprised by the fairy lights that turned on rather than the normal lamp they used. 'Pacey?' she asked faintly looking around. The place was spotless and there were new, clean sheets on the bed.

'I'm sorry,' he murmured and she had to smile because it was so like him to apologize for something that wasn't even his doing.

'And what exactly are you sorry for?' she asked softly.

'For always leaving the toilet seat up, and for never making the bed,' he walked towards her and she pretty much fell into his arms. 'I'm sorry I can't leave you alone ever. I know I talk and talk, and I can't stop touching you, but I love you. I love you so much. I just want to be close to you. I know you hate the fish and I know that throwing fish isn't fun. Well unless you hit me in the stomach with one - then you laugh like a goof. But I'm sorry for irritating you, for blaming your bad mood on hormones. I know you hate that and I'm really sorry.'

'Please stop saying sorry,' she whispered the words into the warmth of his neck, tasting the hint of salt on his skin. 'This was all me.'

'You may have been a little grumpy, but I have given you a few things to be grumpy about,' his arms were tight around her, as if he were hanging on.

'Not really,' she admitted, 'the truth is I had a funk today. I don't now why. I am pre-menstrual but I don't think it was that entirely. I'm missing Bessie today a bit, and I got myself all anxious about certain things..'

'What are you worried about?' he stepped back and took her hand, pulling her across to the bed so they could lie together.

'I don't know. This feels grownup Pace. Travelling like this and I'm not scared of that, but things keep changing and that does worry me. Change worries me because things don't always seem to change in a very positive way.'

'I can be childish if you want?' he asked only half in jest.

'Don't joke,' she stated feeling hurt.

'I'm not trying to Jo, really I'm not. Growing up is grown up,' he attempt and she shifted away from him.

'Pacey,' she complained unsure what he was trying to say.

'I'm expressing myself all wrong,' he sighed, 'I understand what you're saying. All this change, all this impending responsibility, all the responsibility you and I have just taken on through this trip, it feels like we're taking care of ourselves?'

'Yes,' she nodded.

'But you and I Jo, well we've been taking care of ourselves for a long time. and you, you've been taking care of your whole family for years Joey. It is scary, but it's also exciting...'

'That's true,' she lay back down beside him, resting her head on his chest.

'And you know, we're best friends. This is your safe space. I know that, you've told me that,' he squeezed her.

'It is. I don't worry when I'm here,' she admitted.

'Well it's my safe space too. Being with you.'

'Pace,' she hugged him.

'And here's the thing Joey. I can understand that with everything that has changed between us, with the potential of sex between us, well maybe it feels a little like this safe space is changing?'

'That's a good point,' she conceded, resting her chin on his chest so she could look up at him. 'Though kissing hasn't changed anything,' she said and he frowned making her laugh, 'well not for the worse. Neither has all the touching,' she smiled at him softly.

'No, the touching is good,' he agreed.

'The touching is great,' she shot him a sultry look. 'But I love the fact that sometimes a hug is just a hug.'

'Joey, no amount of sex, no matter what kinds of sex we have, a hug can always still be a hug. Surely you get that?'

'What kinds of sex are we talking about here?' she arched a brow clearly amused, amusement that grew with his blush.

'Joey,' he chided softly.

'Seriously Pace?' she smiled, 'I'm glad. I worry that if I mess up, and Pacey I am so gonna mess up, but I worry that I will lose the right to this space.'

'So you're talking about a situation where I'm hurt by you or upset, or something and...'

'Dawson, I'm talking about a situation like Dawson. He apparently loved me. He was apparently my best friend. If I needed him for comfort I'd be screwed...'

'Aww Jo,' he gave her a quick kiss. 'I can understand what you mean. The thing is you did need Dawson for comfort. I understand that and I'm not even jealous of it. You used to talk to him. And I know you miss him, but you're doing ok? Right?'

'Well I have you,' she admitted.

'So here's the thing Jo. You'll always have me. We were friends before we were anything else, but if for whatever reason you didn't have me, the truth is you'd have someone else. I hate the thought of anyone else providing you with the comfort I do. It makes me insanely jealous of a person that doesn't yet exist, but you'll always have someone Joey. I want to promise myself to you because that's how I feel, but I know you're a realist, and realistic people needs realistic answers. The truth is, if I am not around for whatever reason, someone will be.'

'Well I like the thought of someone else about as much as you do,' she frowned.

'Well good,' he grinned. 'As you should.'

'Now back to the types of sex,' she rolled so she was lying on him, her hands threaded together on his chest, her chin resting in them.

'Jo,' he frowned.

'Don't Jo me, I want to know. Do you mean like positions or what?' she asked seriously.

'We already have sex Jo,' he attempted.

'I'm sorry, did I miss your cock inside of me?' she asked with a laugh.

'I mean the other things we do and how we do them,' his cheeks were pink.

'In what way?' she persisted.

'Well,' his voice made his chest rumble pleasantly and she dropped her head to rest on it, her eyes shutting. 'Sometimes we're slow with each other, we can kiss for such a long time, and the build up is slow and delicious. Sometimes we're crazy for each other, and I want my fingers inside you as much as you do, if not more. Sometimes I thrust up against you and we're coming in minutes, and other times it's like a slow heat...you know?' his voice was so goddamned sexy and she loved hearing him attempt to describe it.

'And actual sex?'

'It's the same. Sometimes I want you so badly Jo, I just want to fuck you, but other times, God, I want to take my time, push into you slowly, carefully.'

'Pacey,' her body thrummed at his words. 'I want that too,' she rocked against him, loving how hard he was already. 'I want so many different types of sex when I'm with you but I don't know what to do.'

'You're a fast learner,' he put his hands on her butt and rocked her.

'One second,' she held up a finger and rolled off of him. She headed into the small bathroom and breathed in and out a couple of times, then reaching for her wash bag she dug around inside for a couple of things and then headed back out, after a quick look at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a mess and her cheeks were flushed, but she was happy with how she looked - slightly wanton and a whole lot loved up. She stared at Pacey lying on the bed, his arms crossed under his head, his tall frame toned and tanned. She stared at the way his shirt had ridden up, the firm muscles of his stomach visible, his face relaxed and boyish in the light from the fairy lights he'd restrung. Her heart constricted with love and her body lurched pleasantly at the thought of being with him, even as nerves churned her stomach.

'Hey,' he turned and smiled at her, and just his smile made her smile in return. 'All ok.'

'Yeah, just needed a couple of things,' she shrugged.

'You want me to read to you?' he asked. She shook her head and he frowned a little, looking concerned.

'I have something for you,' she attempted, surprised to find her voice was a whisper.

'What?' he asked and she held out what was clutched in her right hand letting him take it. She watched his face as he took in the card he held and what it meant. That particular eight of clubs was a little damaged from living in her toilet bag, but it still meant what it meant. His eyes widened slightly and then flicked to hers.

'I'm playing my card,' again her voice was a little above a whisper.

'If this is about the argument...' he began but she frowned and climbed back onto the bed so that she was straddling his lap, a knee on either side of his thighs, his hard cock pressing against her.

'Pacey. When I was twelve you hugged me. I remember how it felt like the weight of the world was no longer just mine, even if it was for just a few minutes. Even more than that, you made the world feel like it was an ok place. It used to be that the smell of you, the feel of your arms around me...they calmed my racing pulse and they gave me back my sanity.'

'Joey...' his voice was deep, his eyes huge and dark.

'Then it all changed. One day you're calming my pulse and the next everything you did could make my pulse race, my heart hammer and draw me into this crazy insanity where I could never, ever seem to get enough of you. I found you so unbearably sexy.'

'Found?' he was teasing, a slight smirk on his lips, especially when she tugged his t-shit up and off of him, her hands than smoothing over his defined pecs, and across his shoulders.

'I find you unbearably sexy,' she gave him an indulgent look. 'Clearly,' she rocked her body against him letting out a slight gasp at the sensation, at the way it was exactly right, before gripping the bottom of her top and pulling it off over her head. 'Then...then you loved me. And I loved you and everything in my life sort of fell into place. Maybe you didn't pull me out of insanity, or calm my pulse in the way you had, but you made the world feel very, very right. You always make things feel right, whether you're calming me or making me want you desperately,' she reached behind her back and flicked the catch on her bra, then pulled it down her arms and off.

'You don't have...' he began and even managed to raise his eyes from her naked chest to her eyes.

'With you Pace, I never have to do anything. The only thing you want from me ever is for me to be happy, and that's why I want to do this.'

'But...' he began and she smiled putting a finger to his lips.

'Pace, we've been together a while and you've always understood without a word why I wasn't ready, so you have to ask now why I am?' she arched a brow, before picking up one of his hands and kissing it softly, 'you taught me to drive. You knew it was my mom's bracelet I was wearing at prom. You bought me a wall,' she untied her sarong and pulled it off.

'I didn't buy, so much as rented...' he attempted, his hands splayed on her hips, his eyes on hers.

'I want you,' she whispered, 'I want this...my love,' she lowered her body to his and kissed him, taking his right hand with her left one and pressing the condom she was holding into it.

'Joey,' his groan made her stomach flip flop, and she rocked her body against his.

'I don't know what I'm doing,' she kissed his neck, warm, wet kisses and rocked again.

'Mmmm, you do,' his hands slipped down the back of her panties and smoothed over the rounded curve of her ass. 'Just kiss me,' he told her and so she did. She kissed him until she wasn't thinking about anything but kissing him, and the steady beating between her legs that urged her to rock against him harder and faster. Just when she felt her body begin to tighten, begin to implode before it exploded he flipped them and his hand was down the front of her panties, his fingers pushing into her as his thumb tormented her clit and she was coming so hard and fast she felt dizzy. She desperately wanted him to feel the same way, but her mind was too fuzzy and her body too relaxed, small shock waves of pleasure still tingling through her, his fingers still in her, moving and God it felt good.

'I want to touch you,' she growled but he have a wry chuckle,

'If you do...this will be over,' he admitted and so she kissed him instead, kissed him and pushed impatiently at the swim shorts he was still wearing, until the hot hard heat of him was against her thigh.

'I want you inside me,' she begged as she pushed her panties down. Pacey stared at her and pulled them down her legs and off, before lying on top of her between her thighs, his hard cock pressed between them. 'Please,' she pleaded as the steady pulse beat between her legs kicked up again. She fed her hand between them and grasped hold of his hardness, and rubbed him against the wet slick heat between her legs.

'Oh fuck,' Pacey's breathing was deep and erratic, 'this may not be my best performance,' he moaned as he kissed the pulse point below her ear, before brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes and tucking it behind her ear. That one gesture squeezed her heart and she took the condom from his hand and tore the wrapping.

'Now,' she said and watched him take the condom before leaning back on his heels and unrolling it on himself - it was an oddly erotic sight, especially when she allowed herself to think that he would be pushing all of himself into her body. The pleasant swooping sensation between her legs had her reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck when he was done, pressing a kiss to his lips, and brining him back on top of her. His hand was between them and she thought he was going to do it but instead his fingers were back inside of her and it felt good but like it wasn't enough, not when he was ready and she wanted it more than ever, so she reached between them and pushed his hand aside before taking hold of his hardness and brushing the tip along herself, again and again until he thrust forward and it was pushing into her slowly, his arms shaking slightly. Unable to kiss her, unable to do more than breath heavily against her chest and moan softly. The sensation was strange, strange to be filled up in such an intimate place, to feel her lover breathing heavily above her, to feel the shake of his arms as he fought to hold himself still. There was a slight burning pain but it was negligible, especially compared to the fact that he was in her, that she could feel him in her.

'You ok?' he whispered softly, pressing kisses to her face.

'I'm ok,' she confirmed, running her hands lightly across his shoulders and into the hair at the nape of his neck. 'I'm good,' she breathed the words into a kiss, a kiss she deepened. His soft groan spurned her on and she squirmed beneath his weight.

'Joey,' the gravel of his voice was fuel to her adrenalin, and she attempt to create movement, unsuccessfully. However, Pacey seemed to heed her need and he pulled out of her before rocking back in, causing her to gasp at the sensation. Not only could she feel every bit of him filling her up but his body created a friction on her clit, and the two feelings combined were amazing.

'Again,' she whimpered softly, her nails digging into his shoulders, moaning as he pulled nearly all the way out of her before rocking back in again, his own moan driving her hips up to meet his the next time he thrust into her.

'Oh god,' he half cursed stilling for a second.

'It feels good,' she breathed, 'again please,' she urged, until he found a rhythm, one she encouraged with her legs, wrapping them around him, a rhythm that tormented her by taking her to the brink of her orgasm but never head first into it.

'Oh fuck,' he cursed, his movements speeding up, becoming increasingly erratic until he was crying out, his face buried in her neck, his hands in her hair, as she felt his cock pulsing inside of her. She loved the feeling and despite feeling her own body's desperation she found huge pleasure in having made him feel so good. 'I'm sorry...I...you...' he panted and he rolled off of her, moving his hand between his legs and pushing his fingers in and rubbing his thumb almost roughy on her clit, his mouth claiming hers.

'Oh god,' she moaned into the kiss, her whole body instantly back on the brink it had been on before Pacey had come. It didn't feel quite the same with his fingers as it had when he'd been inside of her, not quite as good, but she didn't care, her body didn't care either as her orgasm took hold of her and each part of her came to life with the deliciously blissful feeling. His fingers slid from inside of her and he pulled her tight against his naked chest.

'I love you,' his whispered words made her smile.

'I love you,' she pressed a kiss to his chest.

'I'm sorry I didn't...when we were...you know...I just...you're sexy and beautiful and...' he was looking at her with eyes so beautiful she could cry and she wasn't one to cry over eyes, but they were simply the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

'That doesn't matter, you sure made up for it,' she pressed another kiss to his chest.

'That was ok?' he asked carefully, 'you're ok?'

'I'm good,' she sighed with a smile.

'That was, um...ok?' he asked with a small amount of hesitancy and she frowned. 'I mean if you were to tell Bessie about it...' he began and she giggled,

'You really want me discussing my boyfriend's sexual prowess with my sister?' she asked with amusement loving his blush,

'Well ok, say Jen, I mean what would you say?'

'About the prowess?' she asked with an amused smirk rolling her eyes.

'Yeah, the prowess,' he clarified and she smiled again.

'You know, just when I think you're the antithesis of the typical male, there you are dragging your knuckles with the rest of them,' she teased kissing said knuckles.

'Jo, you should never underestimate the primates desire to hear about his prowess in the sack,' he explained with a kiss to her forehead.

'Pace,' she smiled.

'I could do this you know, the sweetness and the sarcasm. I could do this for the rest of my life, you know? With you as my partner in irreverence,' he pressed his nose to her neck.

'Have you ever stopped to think that you're just the first of many, Pace?' she asked quirking her eyebrow when he looked at her.

'Oh well,' he chuckled, 'I guess I'll have to satisfy myself with being the Neil Armstrong of the bunch.'

'You do that,' she found herself laughing.

'So Jo, normally after an event like this there's a...you know...post game wrap up of sorts.'

'Ah, back to the prowess,' she giggled, 'You want to know if you were any good?' she laughed again because surely he knew it had been good.

'I'm more interested in how it was for you,' he clarified with a certain glibness that belied his true interest in her answer,

'Of course,' she narrowed her eyes, 'you being Pacey Witter, friend to women and all.'

'Precisely,' he nodded, kissing her head.

'Pace, it was...it was nice,' she placed open mouthed kisses on his chest.

'Nice?' his whole chest rumbled with his chuckle.

'Hmmm, very nice,' she smiled into her kisses.

'A guy might hope for an adjective with a little more...zest,' he ran his finger tips up her spine making her shiver.

'Well in my limited experience, it was nice,' she looked up at him and then kissed him because he was hard to resist. 'I just hope it was good for you too.'

'Yes,' he answered a little too quickly and then laughed at himself, 'clearly, yes. You were amazing Jo, every shiny adjective under the sun. Truly.' She kissed him again, 'And I'll do better next time,' he mused into the kiss.

'This time was perfect,' she told him firmly, 'everything you did was perfect,' she thought back to the way he tucked her hair behind her ear and she felt how much she loved him in her bones.

'You come first next time,' he claimed her mouth with his.

'If you insist,' she rolled onto him, surprised to feel him hard between her legs, surprised to feel the instant desire to drive her body down onto his, she rocked against him allowing the tip of his cock to enter her.

'Condom,' he groaned loudly and reached across to a nearby storage box and she watched him tear the packet open and unroll the sheath onto himself. When he was done, he looked up at her and smiled and so she shifted until she could feel him, the tip of him at the apex of her thighs. Using her hands to hold herself away from his chest she slowly pushed down onto him, moaning at the sensation.

'Oh man,' he ran his hands down her spine and to her hips where they encouraged her to rock forward up his body and then back down, the whole movement causing the perfect friction for her, so perfect she groaned,

'Pacey,' his name a lament.

'Feels good,' he concurred gruffly, helping her find a rhythm, until she didn't need his help, until she was moving faster and faster, pushing back onto him harder and harder and then crying out loudly as her body exploded, pleasure radiating out from where they were connected, especially as she felt herself contract around him. Without a pause, he flipped them over and he was pushing in and out of her, faster and harder, until his whole body shook and he groaned into her neck. 'I'm sorry,' he bit her ear lobe.

'Do you always apologize after sex?' she asked with a lazy smirk. 'I honestly can't imagine what you're apologizing for,' she stretched in a feline way loving the fact that he was still inside of her.

'I'm sorry,' he said again and then laughed when she caught his eye with a grin. 'That apology was for apologizing,' he admitted sheepishly.

'And the first one? I mean I clearly enjoyed that greatly.'

'That one...well I wasn't very careful...I..'

'Fucked me,' she whispered with a blush and he nodded, burying his face back in her neck. 'I like you fucking me,' she rubbed the back of his neck with her fingertips.

'Yeah, but maybe I shouldn't do that the second time we have sex,' he brushed a finger over her cheek.

'I liked it. I don't mind. I love that I make you feel like that. I love it,' she shrugged, sincerity dripping from every word.

'So you're happy we just did this?'

'That we had sex?' she clarified.

'Yeah,' his insecurity was yet again clear.

'Oh god yes,' she told him honestly hoping to wipe away his doubt. 'I'm glad that I had sex Pace, and I'm really glad that I had sex with you. I just want to rest now so we can do it again,' she admitted and he chuckled.

'Rest then,' he pulled the sheet over them both.

'Thanks Pace,' she whispered as her eyes fluttered shut. He chuckled softly,

'Anytime Jo.'

A/N n.b. I deliberately tried to keep the first time physically and verbally a little awkward. I tried to use DC dialogue but to emphasis closeness unlike whatever the show tried to achieve with the disaster of the post sex discussion where it was all about distance. I'm also on strong painkillers after busting my elbow ice skating so anything doesn't make sense, typos etc let me know!