Fallen From Grace

By Dannette

He has fallen from grace, and has done something he can't take back, can she ever forgive him? Can he forgive himself?




"Dawson, that movie held no respect or dignity at all in it, there was no moral, no life lesson. It was just about three guys, wanting to get laid whenever they want, and then you throw in the three girls who have no respect for themselves, and then the six morons fall in love and get married. It was completely moronic and held no value towards it at all, I'm ashamed of you Mr. Leery." Joey said, smiling softly as her and Dawson walked away from the movie theater, their shoulders brushing against each other's slightly.

"It wasn't meant to hold any value of any sort at all. Pacey told me it was a good movie to see, how was I to know that it would be like that? I'm ashamed of myself for listening to Pacey Whitter, when it comes to movies." Dawson said, flashing a smile at Joey.

"Oh come on! Pacey is like a total horn dog, even at the age of 18, you should have been expecting it, like Pacey would ever change. That is why we love him, because no matter how many of us are depressed, he'll still be the continuous horn dog slash class clown who can make anybody smile in despite of all of our melodramatic weekly problems, get with the flow Dawson." Joey replied.

Dawson somewhat laughed, it was a short laugh, not considered to be a hearty laugh, but nonetheless it was a laugh. Laughing was getting easier and easier by the months him and Joey spent together, they walked each other to class, went to the movies, and sometimes they would just sit on the college lawn and not say a word, they would just sit together. Dawson was learning to cope, hell he was coping, he could smile and laugh, and despite he hadn't gotten his dream of Joey back, he was sure he was getting closer and closer to achieving it. "Now Josephine Potter, was that a rant? A cynical rant from my cynical best friend?"

"Why, I believe it was." Joey said, smiling brightly at him. Joey was slowly seeing a change in Dawson, it was great to be able to talk to him and make him laugh, sure they weren't together, but Joey could wait forever for that, just as long as she still had the best friend. Joey pulled her hair up in a tight pony-tail, she looked over at Dawson and caught him looking at her, Joey shot him a curious look. "What? Do I like have something completely horrible on my face? You can tell me Dawson." Joey said smirking.

"No," Dawson started. "I just --- I was just looking." Dawson said, looking down at his hands. "Wondering what I ever did to deserve a best friend like you. Especially how I treated you when my dad first died, I was a complete ass, you should have punched me or something Joey. How could I ever blame you for his death? That was so idiotic of me, I can't believe I would go that low to take the blame off of me, to make my pain someone else's pain." Dawson replied, crossing the street with Joey. "I'm sorry." He said.

"Dawson, you don't have to keep saying you're sorry. You were going through a period, and you needed to put the blame on somebody, sure it wasn't cool that you wanted to blame me, but I'm your best friend, you can be an ass to me, and I won't think any less of you. I'm just glad to see you being able to go out now, you're smiling and joking around with me, I feel like I'm getting you back. I feel like you're slowly coming back to me, and maybe that's me being hopeful --- " Joey was cut off by Dawson.

"No, Jo I do feel like I'm slowly coming back to life, it's because of you, you know." Dawson said, smiling.

Joey looked at Dawson and smiled quickly at him.

Dawson smiled back as they walked up to the dorm rooms. "So how much more do you have to pack? We should leave tonight, if we are to ever make it back to Capeside, before Thanksgiving dinner. I mean sure it's only a few hours drive to Capeside from Boston, but with Pacey riding with us, he's going to want to stop off at places, so we should definitely leave as early as we can. My mom is like really excited, we are going to be the only ones there at my house for Thanksgiving, except her and Lillian."

Joey giggled. "I don't have a lot more packing. I still think I should get something to bring to your house ... I feel like I'm intruding. I mean I really didn't know that Bessie was going to be gone, I feel like you should be spending this alone with your mom Dawson."

"Jo, don't be silly. Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without you there, plus I want you there Joey." Dawson replied firmly.

Joey smiled, she nodded. "Okay then, I'm gonna get to my dorm room, pack the rest up, say bye to Audrey and I'll meet you in the cafeteria?" Joey asked, when Dawson nodded, Joey reached up on her tip-toes and hugged Dawson. "See you then." Joey replied, she hugged him once more, before turning down the hall and slowly walking to her own dorm room she had with Audrey.

Dawson watched Joey walk off, he smiled to himself, he had felt something more then he usually did in that hug, that was good. If Dawson was starting to feel things when he just hugged Joey, hopefully it wouldn't be long until he would have his dream back of kissing Joey, of holding her, of holding her hand, of telling her how much he loved her, and how much he would never leave her ever. Dawson grinned and practically skipped down the halls to his own dorm room, he shared with some guy named Mark LeVascon.

~*~

"Dawson ... " Joey said, her chestnut brown hair blowing from the force of the wind, her cheeks were red from the wind, but yet she did not move one inch in front of Dawson --- who was standing in front of her. "What are you trying to say to me?" Joey asked, her eyes flashing in confusion but tenderness at the same time, as she gently motioned Dawson to finish his statement.

"I'm ready Joey." Dawson said, he brought up one of his hand and toyed with a piece of her hair, it felt like silk, he hadn't touched her silky hair in such a long time. Dawson inhaled the scent of Joey's shampoo --- Suave Sunkissed Rasberry --- it engulfed his senses, and for a few seconds he felt as if his knees were to give out underneath him. "I'm ready for us to finally be together."

"Are you sure?" Joey asked, she took in a deep breath as she awaited Dawson's answer. "I love you so much Dawson, but I know that you have to be still in pain of Mitch's death, I don't want to push you into something you're not ready for. I don't ever want you to resent me for pushing you into something you may not be able to handle at this given time." Joey said, in a soft tone.

"Joey, I could never resent you. These past few months, you have been my brick wall, you have been the shoulder I could cry on, you've been my sole supporter in all of this pain I have been feeling inside of me. I love you Joey, and I know that I'm ready for us to start up a relationship again, I love you so much ... " Dawson said, cupping Joey's face. "Are YOU ready to?" Dawson asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Joey asked, smiling.

"After the whole Jen thing." Dawson said lowly.

"I told you Dawson, I forgave you for that. I love you Dawson, I've been waiting for us to get our chance and Jen or nobody else can take away our time. It's always been about me and you Dawson, we're soulmates, we are meant to get the happy ending, even though it did take a lifetime for it to come our way." Joey replied. "I have waited for this moment just as long as you have ... "

Dawson flashed a smile at Joey, before capturing her lips with his in a passionate kiss that declared his love ...

"DAWSON!" Pacey screamed in Dawson's ear, making the blonde man nearly jump out of his skin, as he was interrupted by his dream. "So you ARE alive, we were worried about you there for a second. You fell asleep the minute we left Boston, you've been asleep this whole time. Me and Joey already stopped off Pizza Hut and got pizza, it's right next to you if you want some."

Dawson groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Huh?" Dawson asked, still unaware of the events going on around him, he looked over at Joey who was driving the black jeep. "Oh, okay, I know what's up now." Dawson said, yawning. So it had been just a dream, but then the disappointment left Dawson's body, when he realized that in the first time in months he had dreamt about kissing Joey.

"You okay back there?" Joey asked, smiling.

"Perfect!" Dawson said, grabbing a slice of pizza, much to the shock of Pacey, who was looking at Dawson like Dawson had grown another head. "What's wrong Pace? Can't a guy have a slice of pizza?" Dawson asked, grinning.

Pacey nodded. "Of course he can." Pacey said, shaking his head. Somehow Pacey got the impression from whatever dream Dawson had just woken up from, was a very good dream, Pacey smirked and grabbed a slice of pizza for himself, still smirking.

~*~

"Joey! Dawson!" Gale exploded, pulling the two of them into the house, she hugged Dawson and kissed Joey on the forehead. "So glad you two are here early, Joey you can help me with the food, Dawson you go play with Lillian, she misses her big brother."

Dawson smirked, he kissed Gale on the cheek, and smiled at Joey as he walked into the living room, he walked over to the play pen Lillian in, he leaned over the play pen and stared at his baby sister. "Hey Lillian, how are you? It's me Dawson, remember me?" Dawson asked, he smiled and looked over his shoulder, he caught sight of Joey putting on an apron, he smiled softly as he watched Joey laugh with Gale over something, she's so beautiful, Dawson thought to himself idly, as he pictured kissing her like he had in the dream he had been having in the jeep before Pacey had so rudely woken him up, by screaming in his ear very loudly.

"I'm so glad that you're spending Thanksgiving here sweetheart, I've missed you. I know that when Mitch died, it was hard on everybody, and I'm so glad you were able to reconnect with Dawson, and help him cope with his father's death. I haven't seen Dawson this happy, since god I don't remember when, you certainly have your ways with Dawson." Gale said, smiling.

"Oh it's nothing, I was just his friend." Joey said, messing with the pumpkin pie. "I'm just doing what he did for me when my mom died, he was always there for me, helping me when I needed him the most. Without him I would have died, it didn't matter how many times I pushed him away, he always came back to me, and I promised myself I would be that for him one day, and I'm just happy that I could help him, help him learn to cope with all of this." Joey said, smiling to herself.

"Uh huh ... " Gale replied, smirking. "You've helped him more then just cope ... that boy is still so much in love with you, it has his head in the clouds. You two always made such the cute couple, I just wish your mother had been alive to seen you two together."

Joey looked down at the pumpkin pie. "Yeah, me too. Any ways, me and Dawson aren't together right now Mrs. Leery, we're just friends. Right now he doesn't need something like a relationship pulling him into depression again, right now I'm just the best friend, he knows where I'll be if he is ever ready to be more." Joey replied softly. "We're just friends, that's all, for now."

Gale laughed. "You could have fooled me." Gale replied.

~*~


I set out on a narrow way,
Many years ago,
Hoping I would find true love
Along the broken road.
But I got lost a time or two,
Wiped my brow, kept pushing through,
I couldn't see how every sign
Pointed straight to you.

Chorus
Every long lost dream
Led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart
They were just northern stars
Pointing me on my way
Into your loving arms.
This much I know is true
(That) God blessed the broken road,
That lead me straight to you.

I look back on the years I spent
Just passing through
I'd like to take the time I lost
And give it back to you.
But you just smile and take my hand.
You've been there, you understand,
It's all part of a grander plan
That is coming true.

Chorus
Every long lost dream
Led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart
They were just northern stars
Pointing me on my way
Into your loving arms.
This much I know is true
(That) God blessed the broken road,
That lead me straight to you.
Straight to you.

Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lover's arms.
This much I know... I know it's true
(That) God blessed the broken road,
And led me straight to you.
(Yes) God blessed the broken road,
And led me straight to you.



"My mom is asleep on the couch, she is pooped." Dawson said, as he helped Joey clean the dishes.

"Oh, she should be. She cooked up one hell of a dinner, Bessie couldn't have done it as great as your mom did, your mom has always been a great cook, I envy her." Joey said, laughing. "I can't cook anything, I'll just burn it to flames." Joey replied.

"The pumpkin pie you made was great." Dawson said smiling.

"Uh huh, thanks." Joey said, she went to grab a plate but froze when she didn't feel a plate but Dawson's hand instead, Joey looked up and laughed nervously. "Sorry." Joey said, she leaned over to grab a plate but she stopped dead in her tracks when this time Dawson grabbed her hand purposefully. "Dawson what is it?" Joey asked, turning to look Dawson straight in the eyes.

"Jo, earlier in the car ... on the way here ... when I was sleeping ... " Dawson said in cut off sentences.

"What is it Dawson?" Joey asked again. "You're freaking me out here Dawson, tell me what is wrong, you know you can tell me anything that is bothering you. I'm here for you Dawson ... " Joey said, flashing a smile for Dawson, who returned it.

"I had a dream." Dawson said.

"About what?" Joey asked quickly.

"Of me and you, I told you I was ready to be with you, you told me that you didn't want me to resent you for pushing me into something I wasn't ready to handle, and then I told you I was ready and then we kissed Joey." Dawson said, still holding Joey's hand. "We kissed so passionately, the kiss was so great ... up until Pacey woke me up." Dawson stated seriously.

"What do you think it meant?" Joey asked.

"This .... " Dawson said, leaning over, he brushed his lips against Joey's, he pulled back for a few seconds but then went back to kissing Joey. He dropped her hand and closed off the personal space between him and Joey, his hands rested on Joey's waist, as she wrapped her arms around his neck as the kiss deepened, and overflowed with passion, and overdue silent words of love.

THE END.