The moon reflected off the creek and gave Joey enough light to find her way down to the dock. She bent down and took off her shoes and socks. The night air was cool, but Joey felt the need to go for a swim in the creek. She knew that it would help to soothe her and clear her mind of Dawson. Her feet padded lightly on the wooden planks as she walked to the end of the dock. Joey paused a moment to look up at the velvet sky that shimmered with stars. It was predictable - the same stars would be there every night. That gave her a sense of security in her ever changing world. Joey took a deep breath, and dove into the water. When she surfaced, her eyes focused on the blackness of the water, she felt renewed. The water was cold, as she started to shiver, Joey swam slowly to shore.

Pacey watched her, hidden by shadows. He had come by to make sure she'd gotten home okay, at least that's what he told himself he was doing. His eyes stayed fixed on Joey as she emerged from the water. Her clothes were soaking. As Joey reached up to squeeze the water out of her hair, Pacey noticed how her shirt clung to her body. His heart thumped loudly when he saw that her breasts were clearly outlined through the flimsy, wet material. Pacey shook himself violently to get the image out of his head, but he knew that it would be imprinted there forever. Trying to look as casual as he could, Pacey stepped out of the shadows and strode down to the dock where Joey now sat.
"Hey Jo," he said softly.
Joey turned around at the sound of his voice. "Pacey."
He sat down next to her on the edge of the dock. "So you go swimming in the creek often in the winter?"
Joey stared at him, shocked. "What? No crude remarks, Ice Queen jokes, or just 'let's make fun of Joey'? Truely, Pacey, I am shocked."
He laughed. "Well, I figured that since that night I said something about us maybe becoming friends this year - which to me now is incomprehensible - that I should start the trend." He smiled down at Joey. It was then he realized that Joey was freezing. Her teeth chattered softly and he could see goosebumps on her arms. "Jesus Jo, you're freezing."
Joey only nodded, her body shaking when a blast of cold wind hit her.
Awkwardly, Pacey shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, leaving his arm across her back protectivly. He pulled her close to him and Joey rested her head on his hest. Without thinking, Pacey started to rub his hands up and down her arms, trying to make her warmer. "Jo, I think what you need is a cup of hot chocolate," Pacey said looking accross the creek.
"Yeah." Joey lifted a hand to her face and wiped the tears she didn't know had fallen. "Come on, you can make it for me." She smiled, but it wasn't genuine Pacey noticed. He pulled her up off the dock and they walked shoulder to shoulder into Joey's house.

to be continued...