A Matter of Convienence
Chapter 4
A/N: I have a lot of this written because I just went on the most boring vacation I have ever been on. Seriously, I am glad to have survived. It felt like a year. All I could do was write...on paper. Writing with paper and pen?!? What is this, the dark ages? It drove me insane. (Well, exacerbated a pre-existing condition ;) )
So...anyway, here you go:
Dawson broke out of a passionate embrace to answer the telephone. Michael went to pour the drinks as they caught their breath.
"Hello?"
"Dawson? This is Pacey."
"Hey, Pace. How'd it go?"
"Well, we're married."
"So everything was smooth?" Dawson gave Michael a thumbs up.
Pacey snorted, "If smooth is Jen and Jack fighting the whole time and the bride fainting, then yeah."
"Whoa, is she okay?" Dawson asked, suddenly concerned.
"Yeah, she's okay, just overwhelmed."
Dawson nodded, "I think we all are."
"Right, D," Pacey snorted, "Cause we all just had to marry a guy we hate."
"You know what I mean, Pace."
"Dawson, I will honestly never understand your motivation here at all...so it seems like Jo is just a LITTLE more out of options."
"You think one of my life goals was to have my girlfriend marry my best friend?"
"No, apparently, it was to get some house in a stupid movie."
"Hey! It was one of Spi-"
"Yeah, yeah. Look, I'm just calling for directions."
"Oh, right. Where are you again?"
"Uhh...Courthouse, Dawson."
***
Joey was silent on the way over to the house. They weren't *really* married, she reasoned. There was no need to panic.
"You okay?" Pacey asked from the driver's seat.
"Yeah, fine," she murmured quietly.
"We can reschedule this," he assured her.
"No, we should get it over with."
"You know how we have to act, right?"
"I'm not a complete dumbass, Pacey," Joey rolled her eyes.
Pacey maintained admirable control in not responding.
She'd never been big on PDA in the first place, much less with someone she'd rather knee...
He seemed different today, though.
"What's your problem?" she asked, turning to him suddenly.
"What?" he frowned, clearly confused, "What do you mean?"
"You're being so nice, are you ill?"
Pacey rolled his eyes, "Just thought it was a little early in the marriage to be fighting, but I stand corrected."
"It's not a real marriage."
"Thank God," he muttered.
"Not my first choice either, believe me."
"Kinda funny that YOUR first choice actually came up with this whole brilliant idea in the first place, huh?" Pacey smirked at her as steam rose from her nostrils.
"He was leaving-" she tried to make excuses for Dawson.
"And didn't want the commitment," Pacey grinned, "Oh, I understand completely."
"Glad someone does," Joey mumbled, hating him for it.
They pulled up to the house in silence.
"Let's go, sweetie," Pacey winked.
"Bite me," Joey muttered, climbing out of the car after him.
"Save it for the Honeymoon, Potter," Pacey threw back at her.
She slammed the door.
***
"Jen, hold up," Jack caught her as she left the Courthouse.
"Yes, Jack, did you want something?"
"I'm sorry, Jen."
Her eyebrows shot up, "Really. For what?"
"I didn't pay enough attention to you and you deserved to be treated so much better. Jen, I'm sorry," he blurted, eyeing her face for forgiveness.
"Well, I appreciate your apology, Jack," Jen nodded.
Jack cleared his throat, "Umm, yeah, no problem."
"Look, I've gotta get these pictures developed," Jen smiled.
"Can I get you a coffee while you wait?" he asked hopefully.
"I don't know, Jack, I-"
"Hey, I owe you that much," he smiled.
She laughed, "True enough. OK, let's go."
***
"This is absolutely beautiful," Pacey smiled at the room's owner as Joey took in the master bedroom.
"We got it when we were young," the old woman smiled, "It's perfect for newlyweds."
"Well, that's us," Pacey smiled, raising Joey's hand to his lips.
His eyes burned into hers and Joey swallowed, licking her dry lips.
"How'd you kids meet?"
"Work," Joey turned back to the woman abruptly, forcing a friendly smile.
"Love at first sight?" she asked, giving them a goofy smile.
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Joey shook her head. "He was actually friends with my boyfriend first."
"Stole her away, didja?" she winked at Pacey.
"Would have been crazy not to, ma'am," Pacey smiled, squeezing Joey tight against his side.
She sighed and Joey glanced away, rolling her eyes. Romantic old lunatic.
"Where'd you go for your Honeymoon, dear?"
"Bed...floor..." Pacey muttered.
"Pacey!" Joey slapped him, "We haven't had a chance to go anywhere yet, ma'am."
"We wouldn't pay attention to the scenery anyway," Pacey smirked, winking.
"Pa-cey," Joey groaned, burying her head in his shoulder and pinching his side. Hard.
"Oh, don't worry dear," the gray haired woman grinned, "It's natural for young love. Anyway, let's take a look at the paperwork. I assume you want it?"
"YES!" Joey and Pacey assured her quickly, their eyes meeting in triumph.
***
"They got it!" Dawson exclaimed, swinging Michael around as he entered the room.
Michael laughed, "Great, can I put the groceries away?"
"Oh," Dawson stepped back, "Sorry, go ahead."
"Get the door," Michael smiled, walking into the kitchen.
The phone rang.
"Or...get the phone," he chuckled.
"Hello?" Dawson grabbed the phone.
"We seeing you tonight?" Pacey's voice came accross the line.
"Yeah," Dawson nodded unnecessarily.
"I'm coming to the Club tonight to say goodbye to everyone - and then we meet with my parents tomorrow morning before I fly out."
"Sounds good, man. See you then."
Dawson smiled, hung up, and turned to Michael.
***
There was nothing wrong with visiting one's boyfriend before work. Even IF the one in question happened to have just put down payment on a house with her new husband.
After all, there was no duplicity here. Well, at least not between the boyfriend and husband. They were best friends and had no problem with the situation, apparently.
Joey felt a bit ill. It was possible she was thinking too much. Wouldn't be the first time.
She trudged up the steps of Dawson's apartment, pushing aside all thought. Just the feel of his arms around her would solve everything, make her fears seem ludicrous.
The door to their apartment was open and she shrugged, walking in.
"Hey guys, you left the door-"
Words died in her throat as her boyfriend pulled away from his roommate.
A/N: I have a lot of this written because I just went on the most boring vacation I have ever been on. Seriously, I am glad to have survived. It felt like a year. All I could do was write...on paper. Writing with paper and pen?!? What is this, the dark ages? It drove me insane. (Well, exacerbated a pre-existing condition ;) )
So...anyway, here you go:
Dawson broke out of a passionate embrace to answer the telephone. Michael went to pour the drinks as they caught their breath.
"Hello?"
"Dawson? This is Pacey."
"Hey, Pace. How'd it go?"
"Well, we're married."
"So everything was smooth?" Dawson gave Michael a thumbs up.
Pacey snorted, "If smooth is Jen and Jack fighting the whole time and the bride fainting, then yeah."
"Whoa, is she okay?" Dawson asked, suddenly concerned.
"Yeah, she's okay, just overwhelmed."
Dawson nodded, "I think we all are."
"Right, D," Pacey snorted, "Cause we all just had to marry a guy we hate."
"You know what I mean, Pace."
"Dawson, I will honestly never understand your motivation here at all...so it seems like Jo is just a LITTLE more out of options."
"You think one of my life goals was to have my girlfriend marry my best friend?"
"No, apparently, it was to get some house in a stupid movie."
"Hey! It was one of Spi-"
"Yeah, yeah. Look, I'm just calling for directions."
"Oh, right. Where are you again?"
"Uhh...Courthouse, Dawson."
***
Joey was silent on the way over to the house. They weren't *really* married, she reasoned. There was no need to panic.
"You okay?" Pacey asked from the driver's seat.
"Yeah, fine," she murmured quietly.
"We can reschedule this," he assured her.
"No, we should get it over with."
"You know how we have to act, right?"
"I'm not a complete dumbass, Pacey," Joey rolled her eyes.
Pacey maintained admirable control in not responding.
She'd never been big on PDA in the first place, much less with someone she'd rather knee...
He seemed different today, though.
"What's your problem?" she asked, turning to him suddenly.
"What?" he frowned, clearly confused, "What do you mean?"
"You're being so nice, are you ill?"
Pacey rolled his eyes, "Just thought it was a little early in the marriage to be fighting, but I stand corrected."
"It's not a real marriage."
"Thank God," he muttered.
"Not my first choice either, believe me."
"Kinda funny that YOUR first choice actually came up with this whole brilliant idea in the first place, huh?" Pacey smirked at her as steam rose from her nostrils.
"He was leaving-" she tried to make excuses for Dawson.
"And didn't want the commitment," Pacey grinned, "Oh, I understand completely."
"Glad someone does," Joey mumbled, hating him for it.
They pulled up to the house in silence.
"Let's go, sweetie," Pacey winked.
"Bite me," Joey muttered, climbing out of the car after him.
"Save it for the Honeymoon, Potter," Pacey threw back at her.
She slammed the door.
***
"Jen, hold up," Jack caught her as she left the Courthouse.
"Yes, Jack, did you want something?"
"I'm sorry, Jen."
Her eyebrows shot up, "Really. For what?"
"I didn't pay enough attention to you and you deserved to be treated so much better. Jen, I'm sorry," he blurted, eyeing her face for forgiveness.
"Well, I appreciate your apology, Jack," Jen nodded.
Jack cleared his throat, "Umm, yeah, no problem."
"Look, I've gotta get these pictures developed," Jen smiled.
"Can I get you a coffee while you wait?" he asked hopefully.
"I don't know, Jack, I-"
"Hey, I owe you that much," he smiled.
She laughed, "True enough. OK, let's go."
***
"This is absolutely beautiful," Pacey smiled at the room's owner as Joey took in the master bedroom.
"We got it when we were young," the old woman smiled, "It's perfect for newlyweds."
"Well, that's us," Pacey smiled, raising Joey's hand to his lips.
His eyes burned into hers and Joey swallowed, licking her dry lips.
"How'd you kids meet?"
"Work," Joey turned back to the woman abruptly, forcing a friendly smile.
"Love at first sight?" she asked, giving them a goofy smile.
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Joey shook her head. "He was actually friends with my boyfriend first."
"Stole her away, didja?" she winked at Pacey.
"Would have been crazy not to, ma'am," Pacey smiled, squeezing Joey tight against his side.
She sighed and Joey glanced away, rolling her eyes. Romantic old lunatic.
"Where'd you go for your Honeymoon, dear?"
"Bed...floor..." Pacey muttered.
"Pacey!" Joey slapped him, "We haven't had a chance to go anywhere yet, ma'am."
"We wouldn't pay attention to the scenery anyway," Pacey smirked, winking.
"Pa-cey," Joey groaned, burying her head in his shoulder and pinching his side. Hard.
"Oh, don't worry dear," the gray haired woman grinned, "It's natural for young love. Anyway, let's take a look at the paperwork. I assume you want it?"
"YES!" Joey and Pacey assured her quickly, their eyes meeting in triumph.
***
"They got it!" Dawson exclaimed, swinging Michael around as he entered the room.
Michael laughed, "Great, can I put the groceries away?"
"Oh," Dawson stepped back, "Sorry, go ahead."
"Get the door," Michael smiled, walking into the kitchen.
The phone rang.
"Or...get the phone," he chuckled.
"Hello?" Dawson grabbed the phone.
"We seeing you tonight?" Pacey's voice came accross the line.
"Yeah," Dawson nodded unnecessarily.
"I'm coming to the Club tonight to say goodbye to everyone - and then we meet with my parents tomorrow morning before I fly out."
"Sounds good, man. See you then."
Dawson smiled, hung up, and turned to Michael.
***
There was nothing wrong with visiting one's boyfriend before work. Even IF the one in question happened to have just put down payment on a house with her new husband.
After all, there was no duplicity here. Well, at least not between the boyfriend and husband. They were best friends and had no problem with the situation, apparently.
Joey felt a bit ill. It was possible she was thinking too much. Wouldn't be the first time.
She trudged up the steps of Dawson's apartment, pushing aside all thought. Just the feel of his arms around her would solve everything, make her fears seem ludicrous.
The door to their apartment was open and she shrugged, walking in.
"Hey guys, you left the door-"
Words died in her throat as her boyfriend pulled away from his roommate.
