A/N: Thank you SO much for all the feedback and encouragement! Your compliments are very overwhelming and make me eager to write more! I only wish I could write faster to get these updates out to you guys sooner… But just know that I read and cherish all of your reviews and thank you for taking the time to write them! Anyways, I'll try to have the next update out again sometime this weekend (I'm thinking Sunday night, if not sooner). Wish me luck! And I want to give a quick thank you to Doggiesrule147 for the awesome request! Hope you like… (Although you'll read more about the request in the next chapters)… Hope you enjoy and on with the story… :)

Going through the Motions

Joey cautiously rolled out of bed, early Sunday morning, not wanting to disturb Pacey. She hadn't been able to sleep well since her doctor's appointment a couple of weeks ago, and the previous night was no different.

She rubbed the temple beside her right eye, feeling the beginning stages of a nasty migraine that threatened to form. It shouldn't have surprised her that she would start to get headaches now, due to the lack of sleep and stress she was now under. But somehow she felt that she could handle all of the problems she and Pacey were facing, without having to endure any of the nasty side effects. But she did and those nasty side effects were just another reminder of why pregnancy wasn't as glorious as people portrayed it to be: i.e. lack of medication.

Joey sighed in frustration, feeling the ache grow more intense, before glancing over at Pacey's side of the bed. It was empty. This observation took her by surprise because she didn't even feel him get out of bed this morning. She looked over at the clock and saw it was nearly 5 AM and realized he must have left in the middle of the night.

She put on her robe and walked with diligence into the living room. She found her husband's sleeping form on the red sofa with the television on; an infomercial playing on the screen.

He appeared to be lifeless, lying on his side, with only his hands cushioning his head, under his cheek. His messy chestnut hair proved that he wasn't sleeping well either, for he must have been tossing and turning all night long. There were no blankets on his body and she silently wondered if he was cold, since he was only wearing his gray pajama bottoms… He was pale and dark. The bright gleam, which usually lit up his innocent face, was gone; and had been for quite some time now…

This wasn't an unusual state for Joey to find her husband in. He had been like this, off and on, ever since the day she had her appointment with Dr. Sydney.

Watching Pacey sleep, she was reminded of how Pacey had left her in the exam room, looking terrified and sick. She had gotten dressed as quickly as she could and tried to find him. Her search was unsuccessful. After going through the clinic in a panic, she went outside to find the jeep was gone. Just as the panic was starting to make her feel dizzy, she saw Bessie pull up in her white four-door sedan. She was there to pick up Joey after Pacey had called and asked her to take his wife home. Joey wasn't sure what had happened with Pacey that day, but something had changed inside him.

She refused to question Pacey about why he left her there almost two weeks ago in that clinic; and even if she wanted to, she didn't have the heart to do it, for he seemed to be hurting and closed off most of the time. And on the rare occasion she caught him in a good mood, she didn't want to take away his temporary moment of joy by starting a fight. So, she just basically watched him from afar. Not sure of what to say or do.

She continued to observe his sleeping form with misery in her eyes and heart; wanting nothing more than to take away his grief. She reached for the tan blanket on the other side of the couch and lovingly covered his body, so he wouldn't get cold.

She quietly knelt down beside him, the best way she could at 23 weeks along in her pregnancy, and gently touched his cheek. With the tips of her fingers she traced the lines of stress underneath his eyes with the tenderest of caresses. She slowly moved down his cheek to the base of his jaw, with the touch of a feather, and felt his face relax under her affectionate strokes. His breathing seemed to calm down significantly too.

She continued the journey with her fingertips down his neck to his broad shoulder. She stopped there and rested the palm of her hand on the tense muscles underneath. She could feel the knots that had formed there within the last few weeks and began to massage them with her angelic hand; trying to get rid of the evidence that he was under stress.

Pacey responded to her affection with a slight moan and shifted so he was now on his back. Joey needed to be closer to him. She needed to feel his warmth against her skin and make sure he was going to be ok. She was terrified inside and needed to be held by the one man who made her feel safe.

She carefully climbed onto the sofa, hoping not to wake him, and wrapped her arms around his bare chest. She rested her head on his shoulder and nuzzled her nose closer to his neck. She held on for dear life, hoping to stop all the pain and misery she feared was in his heart.

Pacey instinctively opened his arms to her, not completely conscious, yet not completely asleep. He moved his hand up and down her shoulder for comfort. He could smell the flowery scent of shampoo in her hair and was at peace.

It wasn't until he rested his hand on her side and felt a kick that he completely woke up. He opened his eyes with a start when he felt the baby kick him a second time and saw Joey's beautiful brown eyes staring up at him with a smile.

"You felt that didn't you?" she asked eagerly, the early morning sunlight illuminating the rose color of her cheeks, "I think he misses playing with his dad…"

Pacey smiled uncomfortably before moving his arm out from underneath her so he could sit up.

"I thought you and Bessie were going to see your dad today?" he asked quickly, changing the subject.

She watched him maneuver off the couch and replied with caution, "Yes. I was- I am…"

She paused observing his features turn dark again and quickly added, "But I don't have to go Pace… Why don't I just stay here today and we can spend some time together; alone."

Pacey didn't seem to mind that idea until she concluded with, "You know… just the three of us…"

A gloomy look appeared on his face as he shook his head, "Jo you need to go."

He turned to walk out of the room before she had a chance to protest. It took her a few minutes to get off the couch, as her expanding waist-line was making it difficult to get up lately. She found him in the kitchen with a pot of coffee in his hand.

"Pacey I don't have to go…" she began, observing the fact that he wouldn't face her, "I'll stay here and we'll just have a relaxing day at home…"

He filled his green cup with the dark liquid and took a sip before opening the pantry to find some cereal.

"Jo, you guys just found out your dad's been released from prison… You need to go see him…"

"Well then maybe you could come with us?" she suggested gently.

"No." he answered harshly, pouring some milk into his bowl of cornflakes.

He didn't look at her as he walked past her in the doorway with the bowl and cup in his hands.

Joey felt the icy atmosphere around her and felt hurt. She frowned and tried to fight off the emotions that were making her want to cry. She hated her hormones for not letting her control her tears better. She was never a person to cry over every little thing, but lately, the smallest scowl from him would drive her to sobbing.

As she walked past the living room, to go into the bedroom, she saw where Pacey was now on the couch eating his breakfast in front of the TV. He was watching the news with a scowl on his face as he hastily ate his cereal. She hated seeing him like that: so cold and emotionless. She wondered if he knew what he was doing to her. If he knew how much it hurt to watch him distance himself from her. She wiped a stray tear from her eye and left to go get ready for her day.

When she got out of the shower, several minutes later, she was so involved in her thoughts that she didn't notice Pacey by the sink and ran into him.

"Geez Jo!" he barked, with the toothbrush in his mouth, "Watch it!"

He glared at her and waited for her to move. It was then that she saw the hate in his eyes: that steely-blue gaze that made her skin crawl.

"You know you could've knocked or waited until I was done!" she snapped, now wrapping the towel more securely around her body. She was feeling really insecure all of a sudden and didn't like the fact that she was almost naked in front of him. She felt so vulnerable.

"Oh yeah… Like I've ever had to knock before!" he retorted with hurtful sarcasm.

"It's called respect Pacey..." she yelled, more in frustration than anything else, "You should try it sometime!"

"What's the difference Jo?" he inquired hatefully, looking her up and down, "It's not like I haven't seen it all before…"

"-And you'll be lucky if you ever see it again!" she yelled thickly, feeling the tears overwhelm her.

Pacey watched her cry and groaned angrily. He turned around, without so much as an apology, and stormed out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

She collapsed on the edge of the bathtub and held her face in her hands. She hated what was happening to Pacey. She was losing the compassionate man that she had fallen in love with and felt powerless to stop it.

She strained, trying to remember what emotions she felt after her mom had died; anything that might be useful to help Pacey. Was she that hateful when her mom had died…? Was she that cold and isolated…? She couldn't remember as she was still trying to regain her composure to finish getting ready.

As she wiped away the fresh tears on her face, she sniffled one last time before finally getting dressed.

Fifteen minutes later, with wet hair, she decided she was ready to go. She knew it probably wasn't the best idea to go out into the cold winter air with damp hair, but she didn't have time to do anything about it. The fight with Pacey had taken up too much of her time and energy. Bessie was due to pick her up in less than 5 minutes.

She went back into the living room, expecting to get a lecture from Pacey about how 'it's not good for the baby to go out with wet hair', but he said nothing.

She saw Bessie pull up to the yard in her car and grabbed her coat from the closet. She hesitated for a while, looking at Pacey – who refused to look at her – and wondered if it was ok to say goodbye.

She couldn't help it. She loved him too much to just leave without saying anything and said softly, "See you later Pace…"

She watched him intently, hoping to see a sign that everything was going to be ok. Something that said he wasn't mad at her and loved her like he always has…

He didn't tear his eyes away from the television and mumbled impersonally, "Yeah."

Joey let out the breath she had been holding with disappointment. She walked out the front door feeling the giant tears well up in her eyes again, wondering how he could become so hateful.

Little did she know that Pacey was on the other side of the door, pondering the same thing…

XOXOXOXOXOXO