The Morning After Title: Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
Author: Dannette
Summary: After losing Pacey and Gretchen, Joey and Dawson are brought back together.
Note: Takes place after "Promicide".

CHAPTER 2: THE MORNING AFTER

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Joey groaned as the alarm of her digital clock went off, the annoying sound invading her ears, refusing to let Joey sleep in any more; Joey didn't want to wake up, but she knew that she had taken too many days off of school anyways and plus there was always Dawson...

Joey let a little smile spread across her face when she thought about Dawson, he had really been there for her last night. It had felt like old times, just her and Dawson watching old movies, not caring about anything else but each other and whatever was playing on the screen.

"Joey! Get ready for school!"

Joey sighed, Joey kicked off the blankets that her body was entangled in, she threw her legs over the side of her bed and looked down at the floor. Joey didn't know if she had the guts to face everyone at school today, Joey had always been the strong one as Dawson had commented last night but Joey didn't feel strong; Actually Joey felt weak and helpless, and it was all Pacey's fault.

"Now Joey!"

Joey rolled her brown eyes and pushed herself up from her bed and walked over to the walk-in closet in her room; Joey grabbed a long sleeved white shirt and a pair of black pants and went into the bathroom to change into the clothes she picked out. Joey sighed, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, there were dark circles underneath her eyes, she looked like she hadn't been sleeping in days, and well that was half true; Actually last night was the first night that she got her full 12 hours sleep. Sighing once more Joey slipped out of her bed clothes and slipped on the clothes she picked out, after getting dressed Joey brushed her hair and pulled it back into a tight pony-tail and then slipped on her black tennis shoes. Joey looked down at her watch, she wanted to get to school a little earlier then usual, she wanted to meet Dawson; Joey grabbed her jacket and backpack and ran out of the bathroom and out of her room and into the kitchen, Joey grabbed an apple and smiled at Bessie.

"Hey Jo, are you sure you're going to be okay with going to school today?"
Bessie stared at Joey with a concerned look in her eyes, Bessie was incredibly worried about Joey, she had seen Joey this past week and what she saw was no good; Joey had looked so depressed in the past few days and Bessie had no idea how to fix that, she didn't know how to fix Joey, there was only one person she knew that could fix Joey, Bessie only knew one person who could make Joey "Joey" again... unfortunately that person was in pain as well.
"No not really, but if I'm going to graduate, I'm going have to go back to school."
Joey hefted her backpack on her left shoulder and waved at Bessie.
"If I have a mental breakdown, you'll be the first one to know; Bye Bess, Alex."
Joey took a bite of the apple and ran out the door before Bessie could say something in response.

[Capeside High]

"So senior prom, who's going to bring it up?"
Dawson looked away from his locker and stared at Jen, shaking his head, Dawson went back to trying to find his math book; Jack laughed.
"Um, Jen, you kind of already brought it up."
Jack leaned against a metal locker and smiled at Jen when she leaned against the locker next to him.
"Well what happened? I was totally trashed throughout the whole thing, and to make things worse I spent the whole night with Drue. Ugh."
Jack smirked, Dawson slammed his locker door shut in aggravation catching Jen and Jack's attention.
"What's your problem Dawson?" Jen asked, giving Dawson a look.
Dawson sighed, "A lot of stuff happened at prom that is way more important then you getting drunk."
Jack bit down on his lip, suddenly feeling uncomfortable that he was literally in between Jen and Dawson. Jack looked at Dawson and saw the anger etched on Dawson's face, what was Dawson so angry about? Jack knew something big had happened at prom, but since he was outside with Tobey, he had no idea what it was, but now he was starting to get worried. First Joey had refused to talk to him and now Dawson was slamming locker-doors shut and snapping at Jen.

Joey walked down the halls of Capeside High, frantically trying to find Dawson; Joey could hear people whispering things and she could feel their eyes on her, but right now, all that mattered was finding Dawson. Joey pushed past a few people and then smiled to herself when she saw Dawson by his locker.

"Hi."
Joey glanced at Jen and Jack, she waved at them, but then instantly turned to Dawson and smiled at him. Dawson stop staring at his locker and looked at Joey once she walked over to them, Oh geez... she looks beautiful, Dawson shook the thought of his mind as quick as it came in, god why was he doing this to himself? He knew that he could never win Joey back, there was no way, he could have her heart back, he lost that a long time ago; Dawson smiled at Joey.
"Hey Jo, are you feeling better?"
Joey nodded and ignored the concerned 'what's up?' looks she was getting from Jack and Jen, she wasn't ready to tell them what happened at senior prom yet.
"I'm okay, hey want to catch some breakfast before class starts?"
Dawson nodded.
"Sure, let's go."
Joey smiled and waved at Jack and Jen once more and took off with Dawson heading towards the cafeteria, Joey usually didn't like eating at the cafeteria but she needed a few minutes alone with Dawson, and if she had to succumb to school food, then so be it.

Jen and Jack turned and looked at each other; Jen shook her head, for once she had no idea what was going on, sure her and Joey had gotten real close during their New York trip, but she had no idea what was going on with her two friends.
"Don't ask me Jack."
Jen turned when she heard footsteps and stared at Pacey, who had a tired look on his face. Jen went to say hi to him but Pacey walked right past them ignoring them.
"Maybe it has something to do with Pacey ignoring us."
Jen shrugged at Jack's suggestion.
"Oh great, Joey plus Dawson plus Pacey equals big love triangle."

Joey sat down at one of the cafeteria tables that had no one sitting in it, Joey place her tray of cafeteria food on the table in front of her and smiled at Dawson, when he did the same and sat down next to her.
"I wasn't really hungry, I just wanted to spend a few minutes alone with you before school officially started."
Dawson nodded and pushed his tray away from him.
"Same here, I would never want to eat this food voluntarily Jo."
Joey laughed quietly at Dawson's joke, but then she laughed once more when she thought, that it was probably true. Joey pushed her tray next to Dawson's and looked around the cafeteria and saw some people staring at her. "What's up Joey?"
Joey looked back at Dawson and sighed.
"It's just -- God, everyone is staring at me Dawson! On the way to your locker, all I could hear was people whispering things, probably about me."
Dawson looked away from Joey and stared at some of the people, he sighed and turned back to Joey.
"Who cares Jo? When did you start caring about what people think of you?"
Joey rolled her eyes.
"Since my ex-boyfriend told the whole school that I make him feel like shit."
Dawson lowered his eyes, his anger towards Pacey was growing every minute he saw Joey looking sad or troubled. The pain she was going through, it just wasn't fair and Dawson wanted it to stop for her, he wanted Joey to be happy, he wanted all the pain she was feeling to go away, but he didn't know how to do that.
"That's Pacey's fault, not yours. He was feeling bad and he lashed out at you, you didn't deserve it."
Joey closed her eyes and held them closed for the longest time and then looked back up at Dawson.
"Do I make you feel like you're nothing?"
Dawson stared at Joey, his eyes held a shocked look in them; He never once thought that Joey would ask him that, he thought she already knew what she made him feel like. Dawson smiled sadly at his best friend.
"Joey. I didn't think I needed to tell you how you made me feel, I thought you already knew how you made me feel, but I guess this thing with Pacey has made you lose sight of that. Joey Potter, you have never once made me feel like I'm nothing, actually that is the furthest from how you make me feel. You make me feel whole Jo, you make me feel like I'm something. My dreams, my aspirations, my goals... they're all because of you, so when you ask me if you make me feel like I'm nothing, you should already know the answer Joey."
Joey stared at Dawson, not sure of what to say, his words were so beautiful, they held so much meaning. Joey heard the first school bell, indicating that they got at least 5 minutes to get to class before they were late; Joey continued to stare at Dawson, not saying a word; Now it really felt like old times, just her and Dawson staring into each other's eyes not planning on anything to say, just living in that moment, just holding that gaze just long enough to tell each other how much they cared about each other.
"Thank you." Joey finally said.
Dawson smiled and pushed himself and reached his hand out to Joey, who took it; Dawson pulled Joey up and smiled sweetly at her.
"No problem, school awaits."
Joey rolled her eyes.
"Just great."
Dawson laughed and he leaded him and Joey towards their first class, math.

Pacey lingered in the background, watching the scene lay out in front of him, with a sad look on his face. Joey was happy, that was what he wanted her to be, but as much as he had wanted that, he wanted to be the one that made her happy. But watching Joey and Dawson, made him see that he could never be the one that made Joey happy, sure he could make her happy for a little while, but he could never completely make her happy, not like Dawson could. Dawson had this ability, to make Joey happy to her fullest, Dawson could look into Joey's eyes and know what she is feeling, Dawson could just be there and make Joey smile big. Pacey had only had that ability over Andie, yeah he made Andie incredibly happy, but that relationship was doomed, the minute Andie told him the truth it was all over, and Joey had entered his life as this constant reminder that all women in his life didn't have to be out to hurt him, but Joey she was in love with him, and that made it worse when he lashed out at her. It wasn't the women that hurt him, it wasn't the women that destroyed the relationship... it was him. Pacey sighed, and took off for his first class, history; Pacey let his eyes stare at Joey and Dawson for a few more seconds before leaving as well.

[Math Class]

Joey flipped through her math textbook, Mr. Williams, her math teacher had just told the class to just work on some math problems; Joey stopped at page 19 and groaned, she hated math the most out of all her school subjects. Dawson watched Joey flip through math pages, he had to smile to himself, he knew for a fact Joey hated math the most, he wished he could see her face, but all he could see was the back of her head, but he could just see her face and it made him smile even bigger.

"What are you smiling at?"
Joey asked Dawson, looking at him over her shoulder; Dawson smirked and pulled his desk closer to Joey's.
"You. You got your 'I hate math' looks on your face, it's entertaining."
Joey smiled, her brown eyes twinkling back at Dawson, for a few minutes she let all of her problems stay unsolved, and she just stared back at Dawson, her life-long friend, her human picker upper.
"Well thank you mister Leery, for taking pleasure in my pain."
Dawson smiled, and opened his mouth to say something but the voice of Mr. Williams, made him shut his mouth.

"Excuse me you two little lovebirds, you think you could pay attention to the math work, instead of each other?"

Joey blushed and turned the other way and Dawson opened his math book and flipped to page 19, grabbing is pencil Dawson started his math work, a red color rising in his face.

"Could you be anymore obvious Leery?"
Dawson glared once the hushed taunting voice of Drue Valentine hissed into his left ear; God, words couldn't even explain how much hatred Dawson had for Drue, the guy just seemed to live on making other people's lives like living hells.
"Could you be any more annoying?"
Dawson turned around and glared at Drue, who had a grin on his face.
"What can't handle the truth Leery? It's all over your face--"
Drue brought his voice down to a hush that only him and Dawson could hear.
"You love Joey Potter. You got the look in your eyes man, the goofy smirk on your face, and the red color on your face. She may not see it yet, but I can; You keep trying to tell yourself that you two, that you and miss Potter over there are just friends, and she may believe it, but we all know when you're home alone, you sit alone staring at some framed picture of her thinking of the old times, when she wanted you and not Whitter."
Dawson gritted his teeth and turned the other way, deciding that ignoring Drue was the best way to go.
"Don't be angry, I was just being man enough to tell you the truth."
Dawson slammed his math book shut loudly and turned around to face Drue.
"Shut up."
Drue grinned.
"Aww, is the poor baby getting upset? Hey when me and Potter were locked in together, a few weeks ago, I caught a peek down her shirt, good pair of boobs."
Dawson jumped out of his desk and lunged at Drue, grabbing everybody's attention.

Joey whirled around and saw Dawson and Drue fighting, Joey pushed herself up and tried to push her way through the crowd of students and Mr. Williams, she tried to reach Dawson but the crowd was too large.

"You take that back!"
Dawson tightened his grip on Drue's shirt collar.
"What? Can't handle to hear what you're missing out on?"
Dawson punched Drue in the face; Drue spit out blood and punched Dawson back.

"Hey you two! Stop it right now!"
Mr. Williams grabbed Dawson by the shirt and pushed him to the side and then grabbed Drue.
"Both of you to the principal's office right now!"
Mr. Williams led both Dawson and Drue out of the math classroom.

Joey looked at Dawson as he was led out of the classroom; Joey's brown eyes drilled into Dawson's and all she could see was his hatred, hatred for Drue, hatred for Pacey, and a tint of his love for her. Joey opened her mouth to say something but before she could say anything Dawson was out of her sight and heading towards the principal's office.
"Dawson."

[Principle's Office]

Dawson sat in a chair, the principal staring at him, giving Dawson his best disappointed look.
"Mr. Leery, you are one of the best behaved students in Capeside High, and then a few weeks before graduating you decide to get into a fight? What's going on with you?"
Dawson rolled his eyes, sighing.
"Drue insulted a really good friend of mine."
The principal sighed sadly.
"Well is it worth getting a suspension for 3 days?"
Dawson nodded slowly.
"It sure was."
"Well good, because you're suspended for 3 days, now leave Mr. Leery."
Dawson pushed himself up and walked out of the principal's office and headed towards his locker.

Dawson grabbed all of his books out of his locker and threw them into his backpack, zipping up his backpack Dawson turned to leave but stopped when he saw Pacey standing in front of him. There was a long silence, of the two boys just staring at each other, Dawson didn't know what to say, he hated Pacey, right now he hated Pacey for what he did to Joey.
"What do you want Pacey?"
Pacey raked his fingers through his hair and stared at Dawson seriously.
"Why did you attack Drue?"
Dawson rolled his eyes, he hefted his backpack on and brushed past Pacey, but turned around immediately when Pacey grabbed his arm.
"Man, can't you answer a simple question? Why did you attack Drue?"
Dawson pushed Pacey back.
"Screw you Pacey. I don't owe you anything, you humiliated Joey in front of everybody!"
Pacey rolled his eyes.
"And why does that concern you? You're not her boyfriend anymore..."
Pacey stopped when he saw Dawson's eyes get a look in them.
"And maybe that's what bothering you D, you're not her boyfriend and you still love her. That's it isn't it? Damn it Dawson, you still love Joey! What the hell have you been doing with my sister this whole time when you fully knew you were still in love with Joey?"
Dawson tried to find the words to explain what Pacey asked him, but he couldn't find the words. Dawson stared at Pacey with a clueless look on his face.
"This little dance you and Joey do, the one where you dance around your emotions for each other, is bullshit. I'm damn sick of it! You two pretend you're over each other and me and Gretchen get the short end of the sticks!"
Dawson glared.
"What do you care? You dumped Joey! And in the most humiliating and cruel way I have ever seen!"
Pacey shook his head.
"I never set out to hurt anybody."
Dawson closed his eyes for a second.
"Maybe that is what made it worse Pacey."
Pacey stared at Dawson as Dawson turned around and walked out of Capeside High. Pacey turned around and saw Jack staring at him.

"Jack."
Jack put his hand up.
"You know what, if Dawson makes Joey happy, then so be it, obviously you can't make her happy, because you can't even make yourself happy."
Jack smiled sadly at Pacey and then walked away, he didn't hate Pacey, he just felt bad for him. All Pacey wanted was love, and as much as he had hoped Joey could do that for him, love him with everything she had, that wasn't enough... Pacey needed to love himself, and that was something Joey couldn't help him with, something no one could help Pacey with.

"Suspended for 3 days."
Jen looked up from her notebook and stared at Joey.
"Yep, 3 days away from this hell hole known as high school."
Jen grinned at Joey but then swiped the grin off of her face; Jen noticed the look of grief on Joey's face and immediately felt sorry for her little remark. Joey pushed her hair back and stared at the tray of cafeteria food in front of her with a disgusted look on her face.
"How am I supposed to eat this stuff when Dawson is home suspended for 3 whole days, because of Drue Valentine?"
Joey looked up and smiled softly when Jack sat down next to her; Jack stared at Joey and took her hand in his under the cafeteria table, sure it wasn't a lot... but it was the best thing Jack could do for Joey at the moment.
"I just don't understand guys! Sure Drue is annoying as hell, but why does Dawson attack him now? Only about 2 weeks before graduation and he does this? What has gotten into him?"
Jen shrugged and took a bite of her cream corn; Jack smiled sadly.
"Because he still loves you."
Joey and Jen both turned around and stared at Jack.
"What did you say?"
Jack stared at Joey with a serious look on his face.
"I said he loves you. Dawson still loves you Joey, that is what has gotten into him, that is why he attacked Drue, that is why he hates Pacey. Dawson Leery is completely and utterly in love with you, he can't help himself, but as much as he tries to stop loving you, he loves you even more. You don't control love, love controls you."
Joey stared at Jack and then pushed herself up and ran out of the cafeteria.

Jen scooted closer to Jack and gave him a look.
"Where is she going?"
Jack stared after Joey, and then turned to Jen.
"To him, to Dawson."