A/N: Well here we are, another chapter finished. Please R&R otherwise it makes me think you might not like what I am writing! Thanks for reading everyone.

Chapter 6

Anyone but him

I'd rather hear you had the whole football team

Than have to watch his filthy lips on your skin

Anyone but him

Anyone but him

With schoolboy fists, we can take this outside

But knowing my luck that fuck could win

Anyone but him

Who's gonna take you home, who's gonna take you home

Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me

If it isn't me, if it

Anyone but him

My blood boils as my eyes turn green

Is this the best of the best of the scene

Anyone but him

Anyone but him

With schoolboy fists we can take this outside

But knowing my luck that fuck could win

Anyone but him

Who's gonna take you home, who's gonna take you home

Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me

If it isn't me, if it

Anyone but him

Look past the leather and the dash and the rims

And you'll see his whole hustle wears thin

Anyone but him

Anyone but him

He's gonna take what you can't take back

Then's he's gone out the door on a whim

Anyone but him

Who's gonna take you home, who's gonna take you home

Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me

If it isn't me, if it

Now when she go black, she ain't never coming back

I'm sorry Mr. H, I thought you already knew that

You'll see her on a black street like Chauncey

I'm a bad boy like Sean C.

Roc-A-Fella like S C.

Keep them Apes with me like Don C

Like Jay, keep Beyonce

I'm just talking nonsey, so nonchalantly

See my Mark like Ronsy

Pop my collars like Fonzy

Paparazzi is on me

I see your girl want me, I'm filling up her glass

Feeling on her ass, feeling so upper class

And your boy, so fresh

I might even flash cash

So at the end of the night, you ain't even gotta ask

Who's gonna take you home, who's gonna take you home

Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me

If it isn't me, if it isn't me

If it isn't me

Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me

Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me

If it isn't me

Who's gonna take you home, who's gonna take you home

Who's gonna take you home, if it isn't me

If it isn't me, if it isn't me

Anyone But Him - Mr Hudson ft Kanye West

This was the most amount of ridiculous behaviour Joey had ever subjected herself to, and while she knew this it didn't impede her rising panic as she tossed clothing about. Joey stood and took slow and deliberate breaths to help avoid the anxiety attack she was certain would occur in a matter of moments. Joey closed her eyes and opened them with a renewed hold on her sanity and with careful thought she picked out a suitable outfit to wear for lunch.

Joey regarded herself in the bathroom's full length mirror, hoping her simple sundress said that while she was not deliberately trying to impress she also wasn't trying for the i-just-pulled-this-from-the-floor-and-figured-it-would-do outfit. She had to admit the soft yellow colour contrasted nicely with her olive complexion and dark hair she pulled up in a messy bun, wisps of dark tendrils escaping the band and caressed her cheeks and neck. Joey chewed on her lip and sighed, it would have to do, otherwise she'd be late.

It was after all lunch with Pacey.

She was hardly in the habit of trying to dress up for someone she abhorred.

There was no harm in attempting femineity.

Not like he would notice, he would be checking out the asses of the waitresses anyway.

Joey sighed and left her house, walking the short distance to the cafe they usually met at, Joey checked her watch and noted she was behind schedule, knowing Pacey no doubt would begin his tirade over her being late, she would insult him, he would no doubt say something back inane.

They would then spend the next hour scowling at the other in silence and that would be it.

Joey frowned as she placed her hand on the door to enter the cafe and for a fleeting moment she wanted to leave, if that was how it would play out what was the point in going through with it. Joey didn't leave, instead she took a breath and pushed her way through the entrance.

The impatient drumming of his fingers on the surface of the heavy wooden table was annoying enough it was driving him insane and he was the one drumming his fingers along the polished surface. Pacey glanced at his watch, she was late. For someone who conformed to all other social etiquettes Pacey wondered why she would ignore this one, even he managed to be punctual. While Pacey was busying himself with the miniscule salt grains which bounced across the table from the vibrations of his fingers hammering he failed to see Joey enter or the lopsided smile which crept across her face as she caught sight of him.

"Sorry i'm late." She breathed, pulling the chair out loudly.

"With how late you are, you'd think you would have at least put a little effort into your appearance" He quipped, his biting remark slipped from his lips before he even looked up. When he did he noticed her face fall and hurt flash across her dark eyes, before he noticed the rest of her appearance which he then did soon after and kicked himself for uttering the words he did. He felt a fluttering in his stomach which felt alien to him, something he had never felt before. Suddenly he found his tongue unable to form words, much less a coherent sentence. She was beautiful, absolutely breathtaking.

Joey sat down heavily in her chair, averting her eyes which stung with tears. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing his remark cut her as bad as it had she stuck her chin out and narrowed her eyes.

"Well excuse me if I don't take much credence in that statement, given your predilection for baggy shorts and hawaiian shirts which look like you've stolen from a homeless guy who is still tripping on acid from the 70's." Pacey looked at her for a moment before letting out a chuckle and shaking his head.

"I'm sorry Joey, knee jerk reaction to our usual nasty banter." Pacey bit down on the inside of his lower lip, his voice became softer. "I'm sorry Joey, you look good, great actually." His smile was genuine, he reached over and squeezed her hand briefly.

Joey smiled back, tucking her hair behind her ear, she looked down with flushed cheeks at his compliment. Pacey's eyebrows furrowed and his shook his head, she really had no idea how beautiful she was.

"You working tonight?" Pacey questioned after they ordered. Joey shook her head.

"No, i'm um. I'm going out. On a date." She said nervously, not exactly sure why she was nervous about telling Pacey. Pacey lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

"Oh really?" He smiled. "So, who's the lucky victim?" He asked her. Joey frowned at Pacey's words and shook her head at him. "Aww come on Potter, promise i'll stop teasing." He grinned at her, she raised a brow. Pacey chewed the inside of his cheek before chuckling, knowing he couldn't keep keep such a promise. Pacey narrowed his eyes "It's that guy." He stated knowingly, Joey tilted her head to the side and began to play with the salt shake.

"What guy?" Feigning ignorance. Pacey rolled his eyes.

"That Eddie guy." He replied. Joey chewed on her lip before looking back up to meet Pacey's gaze, she nodded lightly in confirmation. Pacey let out a noisy breath of disapproval.

"What?"

"I don't like him Joey." He said firmly, Joey coughed out in disbelief.

"You don't like him?" She said "Why does it matter what you think?" She asked him, her defenses coming up around her. Pacey crossed his arms and sat back in his chair.

"Oh it matters Potter" He said. Joey's eyes widened in disbelief.

"And how is that, please enlighten me how who I go out for dinner matters to you."

"Because I am; as you so eloquently put it the first day we met, a womanising bastard. And as a womanising bastard, I can easily detect my own kind." He said "There is also a difference between he and I" Pacey said as he leant forward on the table. "Believe it or not, i'm actually a pretty decent guy."

"And you don't think he is?" Joey rolled her eyes at Pacey, although in truth she thought his concern for her was sweet. Pacey opened his mouth to speak when they were interrupted by their meals being placed before them.

"Joey, I just don't like him okay. So, well just be careful don't go..." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair "Don't go anywhere secluded yeah?" Joey let out a laugh and nodded her head at Pacey in amusement.

"I'm not stupid." She smiled, he nodded in agreement as they ate their meals. Pacey had to admit, an uneasy feeling had been within him ever since he saw Eddie in the bar that night.

The dream he'd had since the factory fire months previous was still playing through his mind, while he'd had that dream quite a few times, it was when Joey began to show up in it it that it really started to fill him with dread. He wasn't convinced it meant anything more that his mind picking a random face to substitute the woman from the fire with just to fuck with his head. There wasn't anything more to it than that.

They finished their lunch in comfortable silence before standing up to leave. Pacey turned to Joey as they left the comfortable air conditioned confines of the cafe. He was not due to start his shift for a few hours and the idea of leaving Joey before he really needed to caused an ache in his chest like nothing he had ever experienced. Pacey had no idea what was happening to him lately, ever since their brief exchange on the dock in Capeside Pacey had begun to feel something toward Joey. It didn't go beyond anything more than innocent, sure he wasn't disputing she was pretty, well not just pretty. She was beautiful, she was...truth be told she was absolutely stunning, with truly remarkable brown eyes, an amazing smile and soft and silky hair that made him want to run his hand through while he kissed the soft skin of her long, elegant neck.

Fuck.

He was in trouble.

Pacey pulled out of his not so innocent thoughts to look at Joey who was looking at him suspiciously while they stood a few feet away from the cafe entrance.

"What?" Joey chuckled and shook her head.

"I think I lost you there for a moment Witter." She smirked at him. He shook his head and they turned to walk together down the sidewalk.

"Sorry." He bit down on the inside of his lip, giving her a look out of the corner of his eye. "I'll walk you home." He said. Joey shrugged and nodded at him, he nodded back while pushing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

They talked with each other easily, Joey noticed their conversations lately were becoming easier, more relaxed, with more honesty, less guarded and without the previous animosity. They slowly made their way up the steps to the front door, Joey dug into her bag to find her keys. Joey feigned looking for them even though she held them within her bag in her hand, simply wanting to prolong the time she had with him. Pacey looked around, not wanting to leave her when he looked up to notice the absence of a light globe in the recess of the porch light.

"You know Potter, you should have a globe in for when you get home late of a night." He said.

"What, there is a light in -" Joey looked up and frowned. She was pretty sure there was a globe there, she pulled her keys out and unlocked the door.

"Probably kids having a bit of fun." Pacey joked with her. "You got a spare one?" He asked, Joey nodded and motioned for him to enter. She moved into the kitchen to retrieve the light globe. "Only be a minute" he said, knowing the vertically challenged Miss Lindley would have exactly what he was after he caught sight of the folded step ladder against the fridge. Joey followed him back outside and watched as he set the ladder up.

"You want me to hold it?" She asked. Pacey chuckled.

"Pretty sure I can handle it Potter."

"Oh I forgot, you use them all the time to rescue cats from trees for nice old ladies." She quipped, Pacey looked down over his shoulder at her and gave her a wink before reaching up to fit the globe into it's new home.

Joey watched as the muscles in Pacey's shoulders and back moved beneath his snug fitting BFD tee shirt, her eyes drifted down to the perfect shape of his ass in his perfectly fitted jeans. Pacey cleared his throat and cocked an eyebrow at her, Joey could feel her face flush at being caught admiring his body.

"You want a drink?" She asked, moving back inside without waiting for a reply. Pacey nodded, packing the ladder back up and following Joey back into the kitchen. They both sat at the kitchen counter opposite one another, Pacey had no idea how they managed to get to this, a comfortable feeling around the other.

"So" He smiled, mischief danced within the deep blue of his eyes."What are you wearing tonight?" His voice dropped to a low husky timbre, Joey felt her heartbeat quicken at his tone. Her words faltered on her tongue, trying desperately for the heat to remain deep within and not give her away.

Pacey watched as she struggled with herself, he shook his head in amusement.

"What?" She asked, feeling self conscience. A low throaty chuckle came up from within Pacey, Joey couldn't help but offer him her lopsided smile which Pacey found utterly adorable and finally admitted to himself what it did do him.

"You really haven't dated much have you?" He asked her, his expression suddenly serious, the smile dropped from Joey's face and her eyes dropped to the counter briefly before she looked up, her eyes locking with Pacey's.

"What makes you say that?" She asked him, swallowing slowly. The corner of Pacey's mouth lifted up momentarily before he then chewed the inside of his cheek in thought. Pacey took a breath and spoke, knowing his honesty was possibly baring more than he really wanted, while he had spent the last two years keeping walls around himself never wanting to get close to another female he also found himself wanting to now with Joey.

"Because if you had you wouldn't feel so uncomfortable around me, someone who would compliment you or talk about things that, while completely innocent, could be misconstrued as a little more." He leant over closer to her, his voice low and seductive. "You also wouldn't blush when someone talked to like this." Joey took a breath, the sound of his voice with desire dripping from his lips caused havoc on her senses and clouded her mind of any coherent thought, being as intelligent as she was she considered it dangerous. Pacey watched her and noticed the effect he was having on her, not wanting to make her feel any more uncomfortable than she clearly was he sat back and smiled. "So either you haven't dated much or the guys you have, had no idea what the hell they were doing." He mused, chuckling as her mouth dropped in surprise. "So?" He knew there was something there, just below the surface, the reason she felt uncomfortable with compliments or why she didn't believe them. With the exception of the mid calf length dress she was currently wearing Pacey had only seen her in jeans and sweats when she came back from her jog. She didn't appear comfortable in something feminine which was utterly ridiculous in Pacey's eyes, while Pacey had a good imagination he would rather have some visuals to help him along.

Joey understood the sincerity in his tone and she took a breath, feeling comfortable enough to open up to him, hoping he wouldn't think less of her. Hoping Pacey wouldn't see her as a freak like he did.

"There was a guy." She began and stood to make coffee for them, wanting to keep herself from fidgeting. She eyed Pacey carefully, waiting for the sarcastic barbs she knew he was partial to. When they didn't come she pushed ahead "We dated through senior year, well most of senior year. See before then I was always on my own, no real friends, a few but none I was close with." While Joey didn't really want to get into too much with Pacey, she decided upon the abridged version of their relationship. "His name was Adam." She said, pulling out mugs from the cupboard " At first he was sweet and charming, a real ladies man." She looked to Pacey. "Very much like you." She smirked, Pacey only rolled his eyes, judging by Joey's slightly guarded stance he was not going to like the character of Adam in this story. "At first he was sweet and charming, said all the right things, I think I was blinded by the way he treated me. He treated me as though I was special." She smiled with the memory.

"So what happened?" He asked her, Joey's lips pressed together, her jaw set and she took a breath. Turning to pour cups of coffee Joey continued.

"They end of senior year we were um...we became something more." Joey cleared her throat. "Um physical." Her face flushed as she passes Pacey his coffee, he tilted his head in thanks and raised an eyebrow for her to continue. "Then, well then senior prom happened. I caught him with another girl and I took him aside. He, he was terrible to me. He yelled at me and told me that i was a frigid tease and how he didn't know why he was with me when all i did was repulse him in every sense of the word." Pacey watched helplessly as Joey began to swipe at the tears from her eyes. "He, he said that he couldn't see why anyone would find me beautiful and he was only with me to prove to his friends that he could, that he could have anyone he wanted even the uptight frigid bitch: Joey Potter." Joey put her head into her hands and began to sob. Pacey could feel his heart begin to break, to see her so small and vulnerable. He stood up and in one swift movement was standing before her and pulling her close to him in an unyielding embrace. Joey's body stiffened before giving in and allowing Pacey to comfort her, she slipped her arms around him and held onto him tightly, his strong arms enveloping her in a safety she had never known. Joey's face buried into his chest as she sobbed. Pacey rubbed her back and whispered to her that everything was okay. Pacey stood holding her while he waited for her tears to abate, she eventually sniffled and pulled away from him slowly, looking up to him.

"I'm sorry" She began to feel embarrassed, Pacey shook his head and without thinking wiped away the last of her tears with the pad of his thumb and leant down to place a kiss upon her forehead. A gesture which felt natural for him to do.

"Don't apologise Potter." He spoke softly, calming her. Joey moved out from his arms and sat down on her stool, she offered him her lopsided smile.

"Thank you." She said to him. Pacey awarded her a sympathetic smile, inside he was angry at this stupid Adam guy for hurting Joey, for making her feel as though she were nothing. He reached across and took Joey's hand, the familiar sensation of wild, electric current buzzed through his nerves as it had the first time they met.

"I hope you don't believe that." He said, his thumb drawing lazy circles on the back of her hand as he spoke. Joey frowned and dropped her eyes. Pacey shook his head and leaned forward, lifting her chin up with his index finger to lock his gaze with hers. "You do don't you?"

"I loved him and he loved me." Pacey shook his head.

"I don't know what it was but it was not love." Pacey kept his hand on her chin. "Joey you deserve to find someone who will truly love you, someone who will make you the centre of their universe. Someone who will treat you as the most beautiful woman that you are, because anything less is simply not good enough for you." Joey's lower lip trembled with his words, the sincerity behind them almost too much for her to hear. For over three years she had replayed Adam's words in her head to the point where she believed everything he had said to her, that she was not worthy of anything more. Pacey gave her renewed hope, that she could have more.

Pacey dropped his hand as Joey nodded. Thanking him again.

Pacey regretfully checked his watch, his shift was soon to start. He stood up and looked to Joey, biting down on the inside of his lip.

"You going to be okay?" He asked her, Joey stood up and nodded.

"I am, now." She smiled, following him out of the house. Pacey nodded in approval, he caught sight of a notepad by the phone and stopped to write his number down for her.

"Make sure to save my number in your phone okay?" Joey rolled her eyes, Pacey groaned.

"Potter." He said in a warning tone.

"Yes Pacey, i'll put it in my phone."

"Okay. Good, if anything happens call me." She nodded "I'm serious Potter, just call me okay?"

Pacey waved goodbye and started down the street, turning when he heard her call out to him.

"Pace?" He smiled at the way she said it "Thank you for listening and..." She laughed "Not treating me like a freak." Pacey gave her an easy grin in response.

"In one way or another I think we're all freaks Jo." He shrugged and waved over his shoulder back down the street. Joey smiled at the way he had shortened her name, deciding she liked it when he said it.

Pacey had found he was distracted for most of his shift, all he could think about was what Joey had told him earlier in the day. That and the fact she had a date with the college dropout who he really didn't like. He had admitted a lot of things to himself about Joey and how she made him feel he certainly was not about to admit that while he didn't care for that Eddie guy, there was nothing about him he could pinpoint as reason for his dislike.

Maybe it was simply because he was taking Joey out.

Not that he'd admit that.

Maybe it was something else entirely.

Pacey leant up against the wall waiting for Matt to emerge from the locker room at the end of their shift when Lacey made her way down toward him from the fire chiefs office. Trent and Matt pushed through the doors and stood beside Pacey as Lacey held a clip board up and sidled up to Pacey. She smiled, her bright red lips curling into the gesture for Pacey only to enjoy, he smiled back, his smile not reaching his eyes. While he was always polite with Lacey he had no interest in her, despite how shamelessly she flirted with him. Pacey was not attracted to her and had tried to tell her he was not interested but she never acknowledged it.

"Hey Lacey" He said.

"Pacey, just getting numbers for the Auxiliary Ball." Pacey frowned, she looked at him and sighed. "Who are you taking, i need it for the guest list. Will Audrey be accompanying you?" She smirked knowing full well the bitch had ruined it with Pacey, not that she was complaining. Both Pacey and Matt snorted, Pacey shook his head about to say he would not be bringing anyone if he did in fact intend on going which he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"No Audrey, thankfully." Matt said. "He will be taking Joey."

"Who?"

"Josephine Potter." Matt said, ignoring Pacey's open mouth as he looked over Lacey's shoulder as she wrote the name down. He nodded his approval.

"Um, I don't. Um" He began

"Well if you're unsure, I haven't got a date."

"No, i'm definitely taking Joey." He said, mildly panicked. Lacey frowned and nodded before walking back up the hall.

Joey and Eddie had agreed to meet at a small italian restaurant, she had arrived early and sat by the window. The intimate interior caused her to feel extra nervous, it had been quite some time since she had opened herself up enough to actually agree on a date with anyone and as she waited she was beginning to freak out a little bit. She absently chewed on a bread stick while she waited, checking her watch occasionally. He was late but it didn't bother her, it allowed her to compose herself enough before he arrived. Joey looked up to find the hostess walking toward her with Eddie following. She greeted him with a nervous smile, he smiled back and apologised for his delay.

Eddie's laid back personality put her at ease and they slipped into comfortable conversation, they talked about many things, including college and how he had dropped out to help his father run his small hardware. Eddie's father had suffered a mild heart attack the year before and the doctors had told him he would have to slow down or the next time he may not be so lucky, Joey was surprised he had been an english major with aspirations to become a writer.

He was very sweet, perhaps a little on the dull side but at least she didn't have to continually be on her toes to come back with sarcastic quips like she did with a certain blue eyed firefighter.

Eddie was nice.

While they talked about a lot of things Joey felt guarded and stayed to the safe topics, she couldn't open up to him. Truth be told apart from Jen there was only one other person she had ever spoke about her past with. Eddie however seemed comfortable to talk about his past relationships.

"I'm just taking things one step at a time." He said to her. "I was seeing someone, it wasn't serious but I wanted it to be, I guess she didn't really have the same feelings." Eddie frowned, Joey nodded in understanding. Joey could see the hurt in his eyes but did not want to push him too much.

"Do you plan to go back to college in the future?" She asked him, hoping to steer the conversation away from relationships and feelings. Eddie smiled and shrugged.

"I have thought about it, I have thought about maybe I could now that my father has actually agreed to slow down, I no longer have to babysit."

Joey began discreetly checking her watch, they had sat and talked and while the conversation was easy, it lacked something else as well she could not quite put her finger on, finally after they finished with a coffee both stood and exited the restaurant. Eddie walked Joey home while they continued to talk about various things that were comfortable.

Eddie stood with Joey as she found her spare keys in the dark.

Finally beaming as she swung them from her finger and unlocked her door. She flicked the hall light on. Eddie stood on the stoop shuffling with awkwardness, Joey smiled at him not knowing what to do. A kiss on the cheek? handshake? Hug? It didn't feel like a night that would end in a goodnight kiss on the -

Eddie moved to her and kissed her fully on the lips, Joey responded without the same enthusiasm before pulling away.

"I had a nice time tonight Joey" He said, smiling at her. "Maybe we could do this again?"

"Um yeah. Maybe." She smiled. "Goodnight Eddie."

"Night."

Joey closed the door. It certainly had been a while since she had been out on a date.

Overall the date had been, well nice.

The kiss was nice.

Joey sighed, nice was good.

Nice was safe.