SUMMARY: A Jen/Dawson fic. Not set in any particular time but Pacey & Joey are together & Dawson is fine with it. DISCLAIMER: The usual.

PART TWO

The wind blew waves across the creek later that morning as a prone body lay face down in the water. The body had drifted far from the docks by that time.

A lone sailor was riding the waves. It was Pacey Witter, who'd decided to skip school that day. He shaded his eyes as he saw something floating in the water.

"It looks like a body." he said to himself then shook his head. "Nah, it can't be."

As he sailed closer, he realised it was a body.

"Geez." he said as he sailed over to it.

He picked up one of his life jackets and threw it into the water.

"Hello?" he called out. "Damn, I hope they're alive."

He put the life jacket on and jumped into the water. He swam strongly to the body and turned it over.

"Jen!" he suddenly cried out with disbelief.

He quickly swam with Jen back to his boat and pulled her on board. He then picked up his cell phone and called for an ambulance. Then he sailed quickly back to shore.

The ambulance was waiting when he arrived. They checked Jen's pulse and her breathing.

"She isn't breathing." one paramedic said.

"I can't feel her pulse." the other replied.

Pacey panicked. "Is she dead?"

The paramedic shook his head. "Almost."

They loaded Jen into the ambulance.

One of the paramedics said. "Are you coming with us?"

Pacey shook his head numbly. "No, I have to go tell her grandmother."

The ambulance took off with sirens blaring as Pacey ran to Jen's house. He banged on the door and after a few minutes Grams answered.

"Why, young Pacey. What can I do for you? Shouldn't you be in school?" she admonished.

"Grams, Jen has just been taken to hospital. I found her face down in the creek." Pacey said in a panicked voice.

Grams put her hand over her mouth. "Oh my Lord, how is she?"

Pacey had tears in his eyes. "I don't know. She wasn't breathing and they couldn't feel her pulse."

Grams almost collapsed and Pacey caught her in time.

"Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" he asked.

Grams nodded and quickly put on her jacket and picked up her bag.

Pacey raced them to the hospital. ******************* Pacey paced outside the intensive care unit as Grams sat down. Neither said a word as they waited for a doctor to give them some news on Jen's condition.

Pacey was trying to peek through the small window in the ICU door when his cell phone rang.

"Pacey speaking." he answered.

"Pace, where are ya man?" a cheerful voice asked him.

"Oh Dawson." Pacey said. "Am I glad to hear from you."

"Why aren't you at school?"

"Dawson, I have some serious news. Jen is in the hospital and she's not doing well. I think you should get down here."

"I'm on my way." Dawson said as he hung up.

Pacey put his cell phone back in his pocket and continued pacing.

Half an hour later the doctor still hadn't come to see them and Dawson arrived with the others. They immediately headed to Pacey and Grams.

"How is she?" Dawson asked, agitated. "What happened?"

Joey gave Pacey a big hug while Jack and Andie sat beside Grams.

"Are you okay, Grams?" Jack asked.

Grams' face was pale as she patted Jack's leg. "I'm fine Jack."

Jack knew better and held her hand in his. Pacey explained how he found Jen in the creek. Everyone sat in morbid silence as the doctor walked over to them.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting for so long. I'm Doctor Burns" the doctor said. "Jennifer is in an extremely unstable condition. We pumped the water from her lungs and put her on a respirator. She hasn't yet started breathing for herself. Her heart beat is dangerously low but there is still brain activity."

Grams hand automatically went to her heart. Jack tightened the grip on her hand while Andie wrapped her arm around Grams. Joey and Pacey were holding eachother while Dawson stood alone.

"I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask." the doctor went on. "Has Jennifer been skipping meals lately?"

They all looked at eachother.

Grams shook her head. "She's been skipping breakfast but has eaten every dinner I've put in front of her."

"She has been eating a lot of salads recently." Joey said.

"And she's been exercising an awful lot." Jack added. "In fact yesterday she was at the gym and stayed on the treadmill for over an hour. She almost fainted."

Dawson went pale. "I saw her this morning dressed in sweats and jogging towards the docks."

The doctor nodded his head. "I have a feeling Jennifer is bulimic."

Grams' eyes started to fill with tears. "She has been losing weight. This morning I noticed how sunk in her cheeks were. Why didn't I say anything? Why didn't I stop her?"

Jack started crying. "I noticed it too Grams. I should've stopped her at the gym but I watched her use the treadmill for an hour!"

The doctor held his hand up. "It's no ones fault. It's hard to tell when someone has an eating disorder. They are very good at hiding it which is how they get away with it for so long. The good thing that has come out of this creek mishap is that we now know she has bulimia and when she becomes conscious we can treat it."

"How long will she be unconscious?" Dawson asked, teary eyed.

The doctor shook his head. "It's hard to say. As I said, she isn't breathing on her own but she does have a heart beat. We will continue monitoring her and will let you know of any changes to her condition."

Andie was crying. "Will she die doctor?"

"Please have positive thoughts. Help her get through it." the doctor answered.

"Can I see her?" Grams asked.

"Not just yet. I'll let you know when you can. I'll keep in touch."

The doctor gave them all a sympathetic smile and walked away.

"I knew something was wrong." Jack exclaimed angrily, slamming his fist into the wall. "She was exercising all the time. Her attitude changed dramatically in the last week."

Dawson looked downcast. "She hasn't spoken to me for days. I actually thought she was angry at me."

Jack shook his head. "Dawson, man, she's in love with you. She told me a few months ago."

Everyone looked shocked, especially Dawson.

"Are you sure?" Dawson asked Jack.

Jack nodded and Dawson felt sad. He'd been so wrapped up in maintaining his relationship with Joey that he hadn't even noticed Jen.

"I do care about her." Dawson said brokenly.

"Jennifer has wonderful friends." Grams said with the hint of a smile. "He will take care of her."

They all knew who she meant and hoped Grams was right. *************** Jen's head swam. She couldn't believe the things she was hearing.

"I love you Jen." the voice said quietly. "I only just realised it. And now you may be gone."

There was the sound of crying.

"Please don't die. Jen we all need you. We all care about you so much. I care about you so much."

Jen tried to lift her arm but couldn't. All she could see was darkness. She tried to speak but couldn't open her mouth.

The voice stopped for a moment then said more excitedly.

"Jen! Jen! Can you hear me? I can see your arms move!"

Then there was the sound of beeping. Jen could feel a whoosh of wind. She could hear voices and was starting to feel something pressed against her chest. Her vision cleared slightly and she could see strange men and women hovering over her.

"Where am I?" she asked groggily.

"She's back!" the man in the white shirt said happily.

"Oh Jen!" that voice said again.

Jen turned her head slightly. It was Dawson.

"Dawson!" she croaked.

The doctor asked Dawson to leave so they could monitor Jen's progress and as he walked out he mouthed the words, "I love you."

Jen began to smile. She hadn't been dreaming after all. ********************** Two weeks later, Jen stepped off the elevator with her small suitcase in her hand. Her stay in hospital had made her much stronger and she was starting to keep her food down.

She walked through the double glass doors and out into the bright sunshine. She shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked out over the lawn.

Suddenly she saw him. Leaning against a tree with his hands in his pockets. Jen called his name and he looked up with a grin spreading across his face.

Jen dropped her bag on the ground and ran toward him. Dawson moved quickly toward Jen. As they got closer Dawson held his arms out and caught her. He lifted her and spun her around until she got dizzy. Dawson placed Jen carefully on the ground and brought her into his arms. Jen hugged him so tightly she thought her arms would fall off.

Dawson looked down at her with a tender smile on his face. He slowly brought her face up to his and planted a kiss on her lips.

Suddenly Jen heard cheering. She turned her head and laughed.

Standing behind her and Dawson were all their friends holding a big sign up in the air.

It read:

"We love you Jen!" ************ THE END