Hey all,

Thanks to those who reviewed. I'm going to be honest, not many reviewed the last chapter and I was plagued with self-doubt, to the point of re-reading it three times to check it. I apparently really need the reviews, so please, please do so. I'll admit it I'm a review junkie...as addicted to them as I am to coffee... Besides which I'm getting on a plane soon and it'll be hours before I can check if I've had reviews- just imagine my happy face:-):-):-) if I have lots waiting! One word will do - just feedback!

Thanks Tab:-)

Chapter 37

'I'm here,' Pacey announced somewhat theatrically from the doorway to Joey's bedroom.

Joey who was lying on her bed surrounded by books looked to the doorway and smiled her welcome. After a week, where by happenstance Joey and Pacey had spent every night together either at his place or the boat, Bessie had lost it. She'd maintained that Joey was officially still a child and it was bad enough that she'd be leaving for college soon, and that until school was over five out of every seven nights had to be spent at the B&B. Joey wasn't entirely proud of her incredibly teenage response, but had acquiesced - mainly because Pacey, unwilling to spend much more than a night apart, even sneaking in after Joey had been hanging out with Jen, spent five nights out of every seven at the B&B as well. Neither said anything to Bessie but they didn't hide it either and Bessie, for her part, grudgingly produced an extra mug of coffee at breakfast.

'So I see,' Joey laughed softly because he did have a way of bringing up the mood.

'What cha doing?' he lay beside her knocking off several of the books on the bed in the process.

'Pacey,' she complained, reaching over him to retrieve the fallen treasures.

'Joey,' he mimicked her tone and did a girly huff.

'You know it's not attractive in any way when you do that,' she told him dryly.

'But it's a little bit funny, right?' he nudged her shoulder, deliberately too hard so she knocked against the books on her other side, sending a couple to the floor.

'You can leave,' she glared at him.

'Nah, I think I should stay,' he pulled a book towards himself and opened it up and began to read, effectively ignoring her which Joey hated.

'Hey,' she pushed the book shut and looked at him expectantly,

'I was reading that,' he somehow managed to sound indignant.

'A kiss first would be nice.'

'I'm in,' he said and somehow managed tug her arm from under her so she landed on her back amid the piles of books and he could roll on top of her and kiss her senseless.

'I meant a kiss hello,' she rasped when he finally released her lips.

'That was my hello kiss,' he grinned down at her. With an effective tug to the back of his neck he was kissing her again, a long languid kiss that had them both making small noises of contentment. At length they broke apart and Joey smiled up at him,

'Work now,' she ordered and he nodded,

'More kissing later?' he asked confidently and she nodded,

'If we want to go on the class trip, for my own mental sanity we need to get everything done.'

'I can't believe Gale let all of us take the same weekend off,' Pacey rolled off Joey, allowing her to turn over, as he leaned over and nabbed some paper and a pen from the floor.

'Any mail?' Joey asked and Pacey shook his head,

'Maybe my dads hiding them,' he offered weakly.

'I'm pretty sure your dad wouldn't do that - I mean he's a cop and that would be a federal offence,' Joey frowned.

'You only got your Boston university letter yesterday, and who knows - maybe I didn't get in.'

'Or maybe you got in and got the financial aid I didn't.'

'You don't want to go to Boston anyway,' he pointed out.

'Neither do you,' she shrugged, 'and I guess with loans and massive debt maybe I could do Boston University. I don't know. I just hope we hear from Harvard.'

'I know Jo,' he smiled indulgently at her, 'the Ivy League dreams.'

'It's not a dream Pace. We have to believe we can do it. Getting into Harvard will only ever help you when it comes to law school, and if you decided you don't want to do that, well it'll be an excellent platform for anything...'

'You sound like the guidance counsellor,' he smirked.

'Well maybe, though don't forget two years ago when someone talked about you having an aptitude for law enforcement, they meant cop. Now they mean lawyer. You've done good Pace, and the colleges will all want you.'

'I just can't associate me and Ivy League. I mean for years I was flunking everything, I didn't work, and I didn't have success. What right do I have to any of this? Maybe this little patch of success is a fluke? I mean Pre-law, Joey? I mean I know we talked it through and I thought and thought, and I liked the idea of it, but what if I don't want to be a lawyer. Me a lawyer? I'm not going to work for big business and I don't want to handle divorces and wills...I mean maybe I should just go to culinary school and be a happy chef?' he looked at her with wide panicked eyes so she sat up and waited for him to follow suit before taking his hands.

'Pace,' she leaned forward and hugged him impulsively, before sitting back up, 'you be who you want to be, and yes be happy. Pre law isn't a conscript - you can change your post grad dreams, and your college courses accordingly. Get a college degree, if you want, and then be whatever will make you happiest.'

'I do want to go to college. I like being smart Jo, I like the way it's changed how people treat me. I hate it to though, because even when I wasn't doing well at school I was still the same person.'

'Stop panicking,' she ordered and picking up his hand placed it on her boob in an effort to calm him. 'Deep breaths Pace. Let's get all the college letters in and look at the options. I have no strongly held convictions about what you should or shouldn't do. I want Ivy League. I've always wanted that, but if you want culinary school and to forget college altogether that is your decision and I'll support you entirely.'

'Thank you,' he breathed out slowly, 'I do want to go to college,' he squeezed her boob affectionately, 'but I feel I may have got slightly carried away in my thinking with the law thing. I'll be honest Jo, I'm not sure I could take the lawyer life style. I always figured I'd be doing something to help people, or you know - make them smile.'

'But as you said, you never considered a lot of things. There's still plenty of time to change your mind. Let's get into college, and make a decision. You don't have to study law. You're smart enough you can do anything.'

'As are you,' he pointed out.

'But I'm a narrow candidate. I only want the arts,' she shrugged.

'Talking of the arts, do you know what I thought the other day?' he asked looking happier.

'What?'

'I'd really love to play the guitar. I bet I haven't got a musical bone in my body but I'd love a guitar.'

'You're a strange boy Pacey Witter,' she pecked his nose.

'I could serenade you,' he offered.

'Let's do our work Pace.'

'Seriously, maybe I could even write you songs. I mean I've never played a guitar but loads of people pick them up and just figure it out, right?'

'You'd write me songs?' she abandoned the book she'd picked up and looked at him.

'Yeah, tons of songs,' he gave her an impish grin surprised when she closed the distance between them and kissed him.

'I'll get you a guitar now let's work,' she kissed him again.

'Yes ma'am,' he gave her a mock salute.

'What are we even arguing about Joey?' Pacey grumped in frustration, his arms swinging around wildly.

'I saw you with that girl. I know what she was offering,' Joey glared at him.

'It's hardly my fault if another girl offers me sex. It's not a problem either because I refused. If I'd been even remotely interested then it would have been a problem.'

'But she thought you'd say yes. You must be giving off a vibe that you want it or something,' Joey stated obstinately, unable to see past her jealousy fuelled rage.

'Of course I'm giving off a goddamned vibe. I do want sex, with you, nearly constantly because I love and adore you and I'm thinking about you the whole damn time.'

'Well that's easy to say,' she practically hissed,

'Because it's true Joey. You know I'm not interested in anyone but you. In actual fact I think I'm the one that should be pissed about the fact that you could even think that!' he threw up his hands in frustration flopping onto the armchair in their room for the senior class trip.

'No, no, no, you don't get to turn this around onto me. I go to the bathroom Pacey. I'm gone all of thirty seconds and when I return there's some bikini clad babe trying to plant her ass on your lap.'

'Trying,' he yelled loudly. 'Trying and not succeeding.'

'Well what made her think she could try?' Joey buried her head in her arms.

'You really want to know?' he asked and she looked up.

'Yes,' she nodded.

'I was sat staring at where you'd been as you walked off and the girl happened to be a little further away, I didn't even see her until she accosted me. I was staring after you and wondering whether I might be able to convince you into a little hot tub nookie after everyone else cleared out. Then I got to imagining said nookie, and well then I must have smiled because I liked the thought of all those bubbles and the thought of you hot and naked, your skin steaming in the cold air. I liked the thought of pulling you into my lap, but really pulling you down onto me. I mean we'd have to be careful because someone might discover us and I fingered that might pass for you sitting on my lap...'

'Pacey, it didn't happen,' she rolled her eyes, her anger lessening.

'But it did in my head, as I sat there watching the space where you'd walked away and I guess maybe I looked a little hot and bothered...but it was because of you,' he looked at her with those eyes of his, all deep and sincere and she melted faster than butter in a hot pan,

'Oh ok,' she said at last, 'fine. It wasn't your fault the bikini clad girl was trying to sit on you.'

'Thank you,' Pacey was elated with his success at defusing a jealous Joey. 'Remind me never to make you deliberately jealous ever.'

'I don't know whether it's a bad thing every now and then, because now all I want to do is claim you as mine,' she stared at him in a predatory way.

'That's good right?' he asked with a slight catch to his voice.

'We'll see I guess,' she shrugged a little before clambering a little awkwardly onto his lap and curling up into him. His arms tightened around her and she pressed a soft kiss to his chest. At length she pushed away, 'now move and sit on the edge of the bed,' she looked at him expectantly until he did as she said. 'I'm not going to indulge your poorly timed hot tub fantasy Pacey...'

'You're not?' the smallest of pouts graced his lips but she shook her head despite the desire to kiss that small plumpness.

'No, I'm not,' she stared at him.

'Am I still in trouble?' he asked uncertainly.

'You're not in trouble if you did nothing wrong,' she told him simply.

'Then I'm not in trouble,' he clarified.

'I don't like what she did though,' Joey shook her head, 'I mean you're mine and I'm pretty territorial you know...'

'You practically scratched her eyes out,' Pacey looked inordinately pleased.

'Like I said, you're mine and if anyone is going to be sitting on your lap when scantily clad, it's me.'

'Mmm,' he nodded, watching as she pushed off her pants and shucked off her sweater and top. His hands reached for her as she sat on his lap in her underwear. 'You can sit on me naked as well,' he offered, his voice deep and husky, his breath warm against her skin as his fingertips trailed across her body.

'I could,' she agreed with a smile and stood to shimmy out of her panties and bra before sitting back on his lap, her back to his chest.

'God Jo,' his breath was heavy as one hand snaked to cup her boob and the other travelled between her legs, his thumbs brushing both her nipple and her clit in a synchronized motion. Her breath caught and she let out a moan, a sound that rose above the crackle of the fire. 'You like that, huh,' he applied a little more pressure and rubbed his thumb in a tight, slow circle which he knew made her body go crazy. His hand on her boob squeezed lightly, as he rolled her nipple gently, again an art he'd perfected that played into what she liked.

'Pacey,' she moaned his name and he pressed a warm kiss to her ear lobe, loving how her whole body jolted, especially when he did it at the same time as using his thumbs against her clit and nipple. 'Oh god,' she groaned, as he pushed two fingers up into her slick entrance, pumping them in and out as he continued the torturous pleasure with his thumb. Without warning she pushed herself off his lap and his hands fell from on and inside her body and he grunted in protest, but then she was looking at him with heavy lidded eyes, 'take off your pants,' she managed, 'then sit back down.' He loved her confidence and did as she asked, entirely jubilant when she turned back around and sat back down on him, this time guiding his cock inside of her, both of them groaning softly. 'Fuck,' she breathed, the word from her mouth a total turn on. She took both of his hands in hers and placed them back where they'd been, but this time as he rubbed at her clit, she rocked her body up and down his cock, the whole thing maddeningly exquisite, in fact it was so damn amazing he could feel his orgasm building.

'Fuck baby,' he hissed, increasing the speed of his thumb in an attempt to push her over the edge with him. Joey heeded his need and within seconds she came, crying out his name blissfully, as the sensations rippled through her body, tipping him over the edge until he was rasping words of love into her ear, his hips still bucking up towards her as he rode out the end of his orgasm.

She pressed her back against his chest, her neck tilted so her head rested against his shoulder and she sighed a deep sigh of contentment.

'Mmm, that was fun,' she reached an arm up so she could put her hand in his hair.

'God I like doing it like that with you,' he half stuttered, his voice unbearably sexy.

'Ditto,' she said simply.

'I'm sorry you were upset,' he said at length.

'And I'm sorry if I overreacted just slightly. Not that I'm saying I did, but you know maybe I could have been a little more rational than I was...'

'I think you're formidable when you're jealous and I love it,' he interrupted with a smile, a smile that fell from his face at the banging on the door to their room.

'Stop fornicating and open the door,' Jen sing songed.

'We need your mini bar,' Jack called.

'And your toilet to throw up in,' Jen yelled and then there was a thump as she presumably landed against the door.

'Please let us in,' Jack begged.

'Give us thirty seconds,' Pacey called back as Joey wriggled off of him and grabbed a pair of his boxers and the t-shirt he'd been wearing earlier and pulled them on. Smiling at the sight he simply pulled on a tank and some pants, after all the fire had made the room warm enough. He kissed her quickly and rubbed a thumb across her cheek before Joey opened the door and welcomed in their drunk friends.

'Oh god it's nice to see you Joey. You have to stop Jack and I from making out. My ankle hurts and I'm sad, and we kissed and that's so not a good idea.'

'That's so not a good idea. Neither is raiding our mini bar,' Joey grinned at Jen, and helped her over to the chairs in front of the fire. 'Let me get you water, some food and then you can tell me your woes.'

'I wouldn't call them woes exactly, I mean Jack's a good kisser, but really, my gay best friend?'

'So as you heard Pace, I kissed Jen, which is monumentally stupid because she's my best friend and I'm gay,' Jack told Pacey theatrically and the others laughed. 'Seriously Jen, I wish I could be with you. Life would be much simpler.'

'But it's far better to be true to who you are,' Pacey told him gently and he nodded.

'Shame I'm the only gay in the village,' Jack grumbled flopping to the floor in front of Jen's chair as Joey deposited two glasses of water and a bag of chips.

'Not quite,' Joey stated thinking of Doug, and then slapped her hands over her mouth.

'She knows something we don't know,' Jen sing songed.

'She does,' Jack concurred.

'Who's come out to you, you can tell us?' Jen stared at Joey and Joey knew why - whenever faced with honest eyes like Jen's she felt compelled to tell the truth and Jen knew it.

'Not my secret,' she stated hastily hating that she might have broken a promise to Doug so easily.

'Hmm,' Jen stared at them both and so Joey looked away, flopping into the other chair instead.

'She can't tell you so don't bother trying to convince her,' Pacey smiled, flopping to the floor in front of Joey's chair and taking her leg and rubbing it softly, digging his finger tips gently into the muscles sore from skiing.

'But we're drunk and we want to know,' Jen pouted.

'You're going to be in a ton of trouble if they find out you raided the mini bar,' Joey warned unnecessarily, but effectively changing the subject.

'They know that mom,' Pacey teased and she glared at him,

'I'm trying to work out how we help them not get in trouble Einstein,' Joey prodded his arm.

'Leave the room trashed and we claim they were in here all night,' Pacey said simply.

'That would work 'cept everyone knows you're almost constantly doing it,'Jack grinned at them both.

'Ah, but we had a fight,' Joey stated dramatically. 'I thought Pacey was flirting with a bikini clad girl and was inconsolable. You, my best girl friend in all the world, rushed to comfort me and help me navigate tricky waters. Meanwhile Jack rushed to aid a distraught Pacey, fearful he was going to lose me forever,' Joey sighed dramatically. 'Thankfully after counselling the two of us through the issue we finally resolved things in the early hours of the morning, whereupon we all fell asleep. You two in the chairs by the fire, Pacey and I entangled on the bed in a sweet and kindly cuddle. Whilst you were here some other irresponsible senior broke into your room and drank all the alcohol from the mini fridge and stole your stash of chocolate Jen.'

'No ones eaten my chocolate,' Jen corrected with a hiccup.

'Yet,' Joey corrected, 'Pace is about to go get it and I'm about to eat it.'

'That's quite the story Potter,' Pacey looked up at her affectionately.

'Denial. If they can't prove it, they can't punish you for it.'

'I love you Jo,' Jen blew kisses to Joey elaborately.

'Since you two are declaring love and all can I now get jealous and ask for really awesome make up sex?' Pacey asked softly, but Joey just flushed and wrapping an arm around his head pressed her hand to his mouth before leaning forward and whispering in his ear, satisfied with his soft barely audible groan.

'Stop all that and get the chocolate Pacey,' Jen pleaded, chucking a pillow at them, which Pacey caught with his left hand and tucked under his bum.

'Alright, alright,' he hauled himself to his feet.

'Be stealthy hun, we don't want anyone to say they saw you entering Jen and Jacks room lest you're landed with responsibility for the mini bar crime.'

'Right, stealth mode on,' Pacey looked shiftily from side to side before rather elegantly forward rolling across the floor towards the door and then rolling to standing before opening the door and looking left and right. Joey felt her cheeks ache from laughing and realized it was only Pacey who ever made her cheeks hurt from laughing too much.

'Are you alright?' Jen sat down beside Joey, who was staring at the still water from the end of her dock.

'Can't I invite you over after school for no good reason?' Joey asked as Jen sat down beside her.

'We normally go to my house,' Jen shrugged, 'or you go with Pacey.'

'Pacey and I are having a night apart. He's hanging out with Jack and Dawson.'

'So why aren't we having our normal sleepover?' Jen frowned.

'Because I can't think properly at the moment,' Joey admitted, feeling her heart begin to pound in her chest at the thought of admitting to Jen what she had decided to admit.

'What's the matter?' Jen wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

'I think I may have messed up,' Joey admitted softly and blinked back the tears that instantly stung her eyes. 'We've been so careful, you know, but Jen I'm me. I don't get happily ever after. I don't even usually get, happy for right now. I get drama and ruined dreams.'

'How late are you?' Jen asked and Joey looked at her in surprise.

'Just a few days,' she half whispered.

'Does Pacey know?'

'No,' Joey shook her head, 'He assumed I had PMS and that was why I'd been so touchy the last couple of days and when I asked for a girls night I think he took that to mean I had my period.'

'You're on the pill so the chances are minimal,' Jen told her calmly.

'I know,' Joey nodded. 'But we have a lot of sex Jen.'

'That doesn't effect the effectiveness of the pill Joey,' Jen reminded her.

'Pacey is really careful. He won't have sex if I'm drunk or if he thinks there's any chance that the pill might be less effective but I think he forgot last month and so did I,' Joey swiped at an errant tear.

'What do you mean?'

'We went out with Dawson and Gretchen and it was fun for a while. Then both Dawson and Gretchen told us how hard it would be to stay together, how much temptation would throw itself in our way. They both said we were crazy to hope we might both get into the college we wanted, with enough financial aid and actually go. It's not like we don't know it's unlikely to get exactly what we want from the same college, but it felt like they were saying we should give up. I don't want to give up and neither does Pacey.'

'So what happened?' Jen frowned.

'We went back to the boat and I got drunk. I really, really wanted to just be stupid and silly and Pacey didn't mind. I stole his wine, so I was definitely the drunker and I threw up.'

'Oh.'

'I know. Of course in the morning I'm feeling all amorous and Pace is being sweet and gorgeous and I initiate it all. It was all me telling him to take off his clothes, me stripping. Normally he remembers but I guess we both forgot I threw up and we didn't use a condom.'

'Ok, so I understand all that Joey I do, but it's still really, really unlikely.'

'Then why am I late?' Joey looked at her, begging for a plausible explanation.

'Probably stress. We're all stressed Joey, playing the college waiting game, lots of school work, work work as well, thinking about all the changes that are going to happen...'

'Maybe,' Joey wasn't convinced, 'but that just isn't how my life works.'

'Well maybe this time it will be. I don't think you're pregnant Joey,' Jen rubbed her back, 'but there is only one way to know for sure.'

'I can't do a test,' Joey shook her head, 'if I even bought one and Bessie got wind of it I'd be dead.'

'We'll go to planned parenthood,' Jen said easily.

'Then it'll be on my record,' Joey wiped at another tear.

'That you had a pregnancy test? Why would that matter? If you aren't pregnant, which I'm sure you aren't, so what. If you are, well it'll be on your record whatever you decide to do.'

'I should never have had sex. I wouldn't have this horrible problem if I was still a virgin,' Joey pouted as more tears ran down her cheeks.

'If you were still a virgin you wouldn't be as happy as you are. I'm sorry but it's true. There'd be stress in your relationship, you'd not have this wonderful, enjoyable release of tension that you clearly love, and maybe you and I wouldn't be as close as we are.'

'Ok, ok, you're right. I do love sex with Pacey. It's always good and fun and yes it's made us close and happy. I just can't stand the thought of telling him this...'

'Not telling him will only lead to problems,' Jen pointed out.

'Surely I should tell him when I know one way or another,' Joey attempted and then rolled her eyes at Jen's "get serious" look.

'Pacey worships you. He will know pretty soon that something is up, so go and tell him today. You'll feel so much better once you tell him and he's the one supporting you.'

'He's worked so hard Jen, it'll break his heart if I am. He'll think he's screwed up again. His family are so awful to him, his dad labelled him a screw up the day he was born. He's not a screwup but his self esteem is fragile.'

'This isn't his fault,' Jen reminded Joey, 'but it isn't yours either.'

'I can't stand the thought of seeing him blame himself. Which he will.'

'Go see him now,' Jen ordered firmly. 'I'll drive you.'

Joey opened the door to the beach house, Jen following her inside where the boys, playing video games loudly didn't appear to hear them.

'Boys,' Jen shouted over the general mele, and they all looked up in surprise.

'Hey,' Pacey jumped to his feet, a big smile on his face, and hugged Joey kissing her head.

'How come you girls are crashing our party?' Jack asked with a mock frown.

'We felt like hanging out,' Jen said simply.

'We're really being entirely boring,' Dawson admitted.

'I'm sure the game of truth or dare was only moments away,' Jen mused sarcastically and Dawson laughed,

'Now that you're here, it probably is only moments away.'

'You ok?' Pacey asked Joey who fidgeted nervously. 'I thought you wanted some space?'

'I actually need to talk to you,' she admitted. 'I don't mean to take you away from boy bonding fun, I know it's important but this is too.'

'Did you hear from a college?' he asked, concern all over his face.

'Nothing like that.'

'Your dad?'

'Pace stop trying to guess.'

'Ok, ok,' he held up his hands in mock surrender, 'my room or the beach?'

'Either...actually the beach.'

'Ok,' he grabbed a jacket and took her hand, 'I'll be back soon,' he yelled to the others who looked up, Jack cheekily yelling,

'We knew that - you clearly lack stamina.'

'Haha,' Pacey rolled his eyes as they headed outside, walking along the beach for a bit,

'Here is good,' Joey pulled him to the sand, hoping with every atom of her being that the conversation would be ok, and that in the end it would all be for nothing.

'What's up?' he looked at her and then frowned, 'you're looking all kinds of serious.'

'I...' she faltered, 'I don't know how to say this, I really don't...'

'You're not breaking up with me are you?' he asked, his voice cracking on the words. She looked at him and found him pale and panicked.

'No, no, never,' she rushed to say, taking his hand and holding it tightly.

'Well good. God I nearly had a heart attack,' he looked relieved but still shaken. Joey hated that she was about to deliver stress and upset. Things with Pacey had always been so easy and she didn't relish ruining that. She felt terribly guilty about thrusting grown up reality into their relationship.

'Don't celebrate, you may have one yet,' she stared at their entwined hands. How he managed to have sexy hands was beyond her, but somehow he did.

'What's happened?' all joviality was gone now and he was staring at her intently, waiting for her to ruin his life, or not she hoped.

'I'm late,' the words were barely above a whisper but she was instantly crying once they were out and somehow she was wrapped up tight against his chest as he patted her back, and kissed her hair.

'I'm sorry,' he whispered the words and she sniffed,

'Why?'

'Well I know you're careful about taking the pill so this must be my fault,' he shrugged sadly and her heart sank,

'Pacey, please, please, please can we not assign blame over something that may or may not be a reality. Something, that if it is a reality, is a two person creation. This is no ones fault.'

'We've been careful though? I thought we had,' he pulled her onto his lap and half cradled her so they could look at one another.

'That night we went out with Dawson and Gretchen. I was mad so I got drunk and I was sick. That's the only time I can think of that was less than safe.'

'How late are you?' he asked and she was glad he didn't apologize again.

'Late enough. A week,' she admitted.

'You're normally pretty regular,' he mused thinking. 'Well let's go get a test.'

'What, now?' she stared at him.

'You either are or you aren't and the sooner we know the sooner we can work things out,' he was so calm and rational that she envied him.

'How are you not freaking out?' she asked with wide eyes.

'Well if you're not pregnant things continue, only we'll be more careful. I don't think this stress is good for you. If you are, well, we'll decide what we want to do. I'll not make you make any decision alone, we can debate and dither as much as we need to and I'll support you Joey. If you're pregnant and want an abortion I'll hold your hand. If you want to keep it, well the same deal, except I'll hold the kids hand to. I never thought college was an option Jo and if you're having my baby I'll work and take care of it to support you. I'd do that happily. I like kids and I love you. Whatever happens it'll be ok.'

'Really?' she stared at him, 'you're really this amazing.'

'For now, yeah,' he chuckled softly, 'I may freak out later.' She put her hand over his heart and felt how hard it was racing, an utterly reassuring fact. 'The thing is Jo, freaking out won't change anything, so let's find out what we're dealing with.'

'Ok,' Joey nodded and together they stood and headed for the car.

'Well?' Joey asked from her cocoon in her bed.

'Negative,' Pacey grinned, 'like the last four.'

'So I'm really not pregnant?' she crawled out of her cocoon to look at him.

'Probably just stress hun,' he offered up shooting the test for the bin in the corner of the room.

'Pace, I peed on that, please don't throw it around.'

'They all sailed straight into the bin,' he said with an easy shrug.

'Oh god, I feel like I got my life back.'

'I don't know, I think a little baby of ours would be really cute,' he sounded wistful but she just shook her head,

'In about ten years a little baby of ours would be cute,' she corrected.

'Sure, sure, but you know if it happens one day a little sooner I won't be distraught,' he took her hand and pulled her from the edge of the bed to his lap.

'You're a strange boy,' she whispered but kissed him.

'You're the one in love with me, so what does that make you?' he arched his eyebrows theatrically.

'Crazy, I think. And lucky.'

'You're not so lucky,' he said self-deprecatingly.

'I thought you'd think I'd ruined your life,' she admitted.

'You wouldn't have done any such thing. Like you said, sex is a team effort. I love you Joey,' he said simply, 'you having my baby just doesn't seem like the worst thing in the world. Of course that would change when it came time to tell my dad.'

'He'd be thrilled,' Joey agreed.

'I'd be his very own loser again.'

'It would be a mistake, but you've never been a loser. That wouldn't make you a loser.'

'I know,' he agreed, 'but dad would think it did.'

'Thank you for staying so calm,' she reiterated.

'You were pretty calm yourself.'

'I feel like a nervous wreck,' she admitted. 'You should get back to Dawson and Jack. They're still at your place, probably Jen too.'

'I want to stay with you.'

'I'm going to be boring and hormonal, go have fun.'

'No,' he shook his head. 'Only if you come too. I'll kick them out early.'

'I'm not in the mood for...you know...'

'I'm not surprised,' he laughed, 'I just wanna be near you Jo. Yeah I always want to fuck you senseless, mainly because it's a lot of fun, but I love you and hugging and kissing is pretty nice too.'

'Pretty nice?' she teased and he blushed,

'If you hadn't been ready to have sex I would still be content just hugging and kissing,' he wooed, pulling her close.

'I highly doubt that,' she laughed loudly.

'Ok, so maybe I'd have read all sorts of crap into why you didn't want to but I like to think I wouldn't have applied any pressure,' he attempted.

'Who knows,' she shrugged, 'being with you has always been kind of natural. I guess I always found comfort from your physically and so I was never very scared about the idea of sex with you. Sex with anyone else still a freakish and terrifying context.'

'Well you don't need to worry about that,' he claimed and at her slight frown explained, 'because you're never having sex with anyone other than me.'

'Ah,' she nodded. 'Fine by me.'

'This scare hasn't put you off? Because I would understand...'

'No, it hasn't,' she hastened to reassure him because he had to know how much she adored being close to him that way. In truth, the only time she felt right was with him, but even then, even with the security, the comfort and the familiarity there was still more. She didn't understand how he could fill her with nervous anticipation one minute and make her feel safe the next. Nor did she get how one boy could be so familiar to her and yet be unpredictable and unknown. Pacey as a boyfriend was different to Pacey as her friend and her comfort blanket. He was so many things rolled into one that the thought of spending her entire lifetime with him was utterly appealing.

'So you'll come back to mine?' he smiled at her.

'Yes. But you have to dispose of five pregnancy tests, boxes and instructions on the way. Somewhere Bessie will never find them.'

'Mission accepted,' he saluted her and began gathering the debris.

'Don't forget the bin,' she mimed throwing something into the bin and cheering, much as he'd been doing with the tests.

'So droll Potter, so droll.'

'I try,' she shrugged as he emptied the bin.

'Come on then, let's go see if everything is still standing,' he took her hand.

'We can stop for chocolate right?'

'Now you're sounding like a PMSing Joey!'

'Watch it Witter,' she pouted and hip checked him.

'You watch it, you don't want me to drop a pregnancy test wrapper now do you?' he waggled his eyebrows at her,

'I think if Bessie found it, you'd be castrated. I was only trying to protect you but why bother Huh?'

'Valid point,' he clutched his wares more tightly in his hands. Joey just laughed and kissed his cheek.