"Can you please go faster sir, the flight is arriving at LaGuardia at six,"
Joey hissed to the cab driver, punching a number in her cell phone.
"Miss, I go as fast as I can, New York traffic doesn't care what time your flight is arriving," the driver snapped back, frustrated like Joey with the gridlock traffic.
"Hi it's me, okay so I am running really late and traffic is a nightmare so please don't be mad but I'm pretty sure I'll be really late to get you so meet me by the baggage claim and call me the minute you get this.I can't wait to see you."Joey said, lowering her voice when she noticed the driver's interest in her call.
"Miss I see ahead that traffic is breaking on the freeway so it should be better in a mile or so," he said, barely turning his head to tell her.
"Thanks," she said, turning the volume up on her phone so she could hear it when it rang. To take her mind off the stop-and-start traffic, Joey began thinking about the last few months, smiling to herself. Things were going so well, Joey often had to pinch herself to make sure it was all real and all of this wasn't a dream. Work was getting better, she was promoted a few weeks before and was busier, but also got better assignments, which made it much more bearable to work as much as she did. But she also got to work from home or out in the field with Dawson, so that was another added bonus.
So work was good and her family and friends were good, but things were even better romantically. Joey and Dawson had been an official, full-fledged couple for six months now and things just got better between them every day. They were finally able to catch their break and they were making it work, despite everything that happened with Jason. Both tried to take it slowly, but after three years of being friends and another lifetime of hiding what they felt, they just let it ride, keeping their friendship and communication at the front of their relationship. They still met for movie nights, lunches and dinners and they still slept over and shared a bed, although it wasn't so platonic anymore. Dawson finished his documentary and showed it at the New York West Side Film Festival along with Jason and other guys from the program.
Many of the students opted not to bring dates but Dawson insisted that Joey go with him as she held his hand and repeated continuously how proud she was of him. A photographer took a picture of them at one of the parties, holding hands and looking lovingly at one another and it almost replaced the picture of them at the Empire State Building as their favorite. After the New York festival, certain students were able to take their film on the road to other selective festivals nationwide and Dawson was one of them. As excited as she was for him, Joey was sad at the thought of him being gone for three weeks as they traveled. They spoke every night and a few times during the day and today he was finally coming back and Joey was more than excited.
"Miss we're here, miss?" the driver snapped, causing Joey to come back to reality.
"Oh thank you," she said, slipping him some money and then jumping out of the cab to jog into the baggage claim area. Looking at her watch, she saw it was 6:10p.m. and she immediately headed over to the Arrival/Departure screens to see if his flight was in. Turning her head to see a stream of passengers heading down the escalators to the baggage claim, Joey noticed his flight had arrived and she ran over to the escalator to see if she could find him.
Waiting was not one of her strong suits and after a few minutes Joey began to get impatient. Scanning over the hundreds of people filing down to the baggage claim, Joey tried to scout out all the young, blonde-haired males, but she was unable to find anyone that looked like Dawson. Checking her phone, she sighed, wondering if he missed the flight. No he would have called if that happened, she reassured herself. Looking at her watch and then scanning the crowd again, she finally noticed someone smoothly maneuvering his way through the crowded escalators, anxious to get to the bottom. Feeling her heart rate increase, Joey moved to get a closer look and felt a wide grin break out on her face, following the figure and fighting the people in front of her to get to where he was.
A few minutes later he made it to the bottom of the escalator and began scanning the crowd as well for her. Stopping a few feet away, still grinning like a child and clasping her hands together, Joey tried to call out for him, but she didn't have to. The crowd separating them began to clear and he turned and saw her, staring at her for a minute before breaking into a grin and grabbing his bag to run over to her. Never breaking eye contact as they ran to one another, he dropped his bag again when she was only an arm-width away and caught her when she jumped into his arms, burying her face in his neck and squeezing him so tight that she almost feared she would crush him. They stayed completely wrapped up in one another for a while, just holding one another until Joey pulled back and kissed him so hard that she felt the breath escape him.
"Hi," she breathed, gasping for air as well when she finally let him go, sliding out of his arms and latching onto his hand as they walked to get his bags.
"Well hi there," he said, grabbing his bag from the floor and taking deep breathes. "That was quite a welcome, I think you just might have missed me."
"Yeah well my other boyfriend went out of town a few days ago so I've been starved for attention," she laughed, wiping her lipstick off part of his lip before leaning in for another kiss.
"So he didn't mind you and me on the phone all the time? I have a feeling my cell phone bill is going to be huge this month," Dawson laughed, pulling her into his arms as they waited for the bags to arrive the carousal.
"Well then maybe you shouldn't go away like that again?" she said with a wink, tightening her grip on his waist. Breaking apart so he could grab his bag, she took one bag so they could latch onto one another as they went out to catch a cab.
"Are you tired, you must be exhausted," she said, snuggling close to him in the cab, leaving butterfly kisses on his neck.
"Yeah I'm tired, but I'm starving more than anything," he said, yawning and slipping his arm around her.
"Okay good because I just have to warm up dinner when we get back to my place and then you can just eat and relax and get some sleep tonight," she said, rubbing his arm lovingly.
"I don't have to just sleep tonight do I?" he asked mischievously.
"No you don't, but if you plan on going into the office early or at all tomorrow you should maybe reconsider your answer, just remember it's been.three weeks," she said seductively, slipping her hand to his upper thigh, feeling him jump.
"Ah well since I took the later flight the program director said I didn't have to come in tomorrow so I guess that means.I'm yours," he said, slipping his hand under her light shirt as she tried to muffle a giggle. "By the way I thought I was a decent phone sex partner."
"Eh you were okay but it's hard to talk dirty when I know you're sharing a room with someone," she said with a sly smile. "Besides I prefer the real thing."
"I think I can do that," he said, removing his hand from her shirt and holding her hand tightly, enjoying the silence between them the rest of the ride home.
"Here just throw your bags near the bed and I'll start warming up dinner," she said with a quick kiss, turning on the lights in her apartment.
"The place looks really nice, what did you do while I was gone?" he asked, looking around to notice the little changes she made.
"Oh I just added a screen so I can change in private and put up some more pictures, nothing big," she called from the kitchen-area.
"You don't need a screen honey, watching you change is part of the reason I like coming here so much," he smiled, hearing her laugh.
"Well maybe I'll just leave it up when you're not around then," she said with a raised eyebrow, sending a chill down his spine.
"Hey Joey don't you think it's kind of dumb for us to have to separate apartments when we're together all the time?" Dawson asked nervously, slowly making his way back to the kitchen-area. Joey paused for a minute, partially in shock because she had been thinking the same thing while he was gone.
"Yeah I guess it's dumb and kind of a waste of money," she said, taking the re-heated food out of the oven.
"So.how would you feel.and you don't have to answer now.just something to think about.maybe you.me living together?" Dawson asked, stuttering out the last words.
"Like you.me.one apartment living together?" she asked, looking at the nervous expression in his eye.
"Yeah you know give it a try," he said, shoving food in his mouth. He couldn't read the expression on her face, but he knew it was a cross between confused and surprised. "You know just think about it and then we can talk about it at a later time." So they changed the subject quickly as Dawson told her all about the final screening in Oregon the night before. As much as they tried to talk about something else though, the Dawson's question lingered in Joey's mind. When dinner was done he helped her clear the table and then snuggled in together on the couch to watch some TV before they went to bed.
"So did you bring me something back besides you in one piece?" she asked with a smile, grabbing a blanket to wrap around them.
"Oh you think you got a gift? Yeah sorry I bought my other girlfriend one instead," he smiled, wrapping the blanket around his body and then welcoming her into the embrace.
"Other girlfriend? Why does she get something and I don't," Joey pouted playfully, kissing his jaw softly.
"Well she plays hard to get and you.I'm sorry Joey I love you but you're.well a sure thing," he said, looking down at her shocked expression.
"Hmm well thank goodness I taped Katie Couric for you this morning because she's the only person you'll be talking dirty to tonight," she huffed, trying to pull out of his embrace.
"Oh wait I think I did find something for you while we were in California, let me check," he said, slipping off the couch and running over to his bag. Wrapped in the blanket and waiting for him, Joey noticed his mood changed slightly as he returned, holding a small box.
"For me?" she said playfully, noticing his nervous grin as he handed her over the box and rejoined her on the couch. She slowly opened the box and found a black velvet draw-string bag waiting inside, causing her to stop and look at him, wondering if it was she thought it might be. Seeing him give her a gentle nod, she opened the bag and found a gold band with several semi-precious gems on the top.
"Dawson this is so beautiful but it's too much," she gasped, stunned by the beauty of the ring. "But marriage.are we ready?"
"It's not an engagement ring Joey.it's a promise ring," he said, moving closer and removing the band from the box. "The stones are our birthstones lined up next to one another, just like I'm always right beside you through everything and inside I had something engraved."
"My promise of love to you.always," Joey read, feeling tears start in her eyes.
"This is my promise to you, my promise to be your boyfriend, lover, best friend and soul mate always and no matter what," Dawson said, slipping the ring gently on her ring finger. "And it's a promise that one day, when we're really ready that I'll give you a real engagement ring and ask you to marry me."
"So it's a pre-engagement ring?" Joey asked, still staring at it on her finger.
"Yes," he said, pulling her into a deep kiss and hug. Overcome with emotion, Joey didn't let him go, making the kiss become more passionate, pushing him back on the couch so she half-laid on top of him.
"I thought about your idea earlier and I think we should move in together," she breathed, gasping for air again after that kiss.
"Here?" he asked, looking around.
"Here, your place or we could find something of our own, just for us, a new start together," she said, kissing his jaw and behind his ear, eliciting a groan from his mouth.
"Are you sure?" he asked, getting lost in her kisses and touch.
"Yes, are you?" she replied, pulling back to look him in the eye.
"Yes," he breathed, pushing her hair behind her ears.
"Good film boy because.I love you.a lot and I want us to be together," she said, getting a bit emotional.
"Good because I'd never let you go, not again.ever," he said, pulling her in for another kiss before picking her up and carrying her over to the bed.
The next morning they started looking for apartments and within a month they moved in to a one-bedroom apartment in Chelsea together. They lived happy there for several years, but it only took Dawson another six months before he proposed to Joey, in a carriage in Central Park, right after dinner at the Rainbow Room. Another year later they married and continued to live happily where they were, until a bigger place was needed because Joey was about to give birth to their first son Elliot Jason Leery. More years and another child followed but Dawson's promise to her, symbolized by that ring was never broken and her silent promise to be the same to him never did either.
The End
"Miss, I go as fast as I can, New York traffic doesn't care what time your flight is arriving," the driver snapped back, frustrated like Joey with the gridlock traffic.
"Hi it's me, okay so I am running really late and traffic is a nightmare so please don't be mad but I'm pretty sure I'll be really late to get you so meet me by the baggage claim and call me the minute you get this.I can't wait to see you."Joey said, lowering her voice when she noticed the driver's interest in her call.
"Miss I see ahead that traffic is breaking on the freeway so it should be better in a mile or so," he said, barely turning his head to tell her.
"Thanks," she said, turning the volume up on her phone so she could hear it when it rang. To take her mind off the stop-and-start traffic, Joey began thinking about the last few months, smiling to herself. Things were going so well, Joey often had to pinch herself to make sure it was all real and all of this wasn't a dream. Work was getting better, she was promoted a few weeks before and was busier, but also got better assignments, which made it much more bearable to work as much as she did. But she also got to work from home or out in the field with Dawson, so that was another added bonus.
So work was good and her family and friends were good, but things were even better romantically. Joey and Dawson had been an official, full-fledged couple for six months now and things just got better between them every day. They were finally able to catch their break and they were making it work, despite everything that happened with Jason. Both tried to take it slowly, but after three years of being friends and another lifetime of hiding what they felt, they just let it ride, keeping their friendship and communication at the front of their relationship. They still met for movie nights, lunches and dinners and they still slept over and shared a bed, although it wasn't so platonic anymore. Dawson finished his documentary and showed it at the New York West Side Film Festival along with Jason and other guys from the program.
Many of the students opted not to bring dates but Dawson insisted that Joey go with him as she held his hand and repeated continuously how proud she was of him. A photographer took a picture of them at one of the parties, holding hands and looking lovingly at one another and it almost replaced the picture of them at the Empire State Building as their favorite. After the New York festival, certain students were able to take their film on the road to other selective festivals nationwide and Dawson was one of them. As excited as she was for him, Joey was sad at the thought of him being gone for three weeks as they traveled. They spoke every night and a few times during the day and today he was finally coming back and Joey was more than excited.
"Miss we're here, miss?" the driver snapped, causing Joey to come back to reality.
"Oh thank you," she said, slipping him some money and then jumping out of the cab to jog into the baggage claim area. Looking at her watch, she saw it was 6:10p.m. and she immediately headed over to the Arrival/Departure screens to see if his flight was in. Turning her head to see a stream of passengers heading down the escalators to the baggage claim, Joey noticed his flight had arrived and she ran over to the escalator to see if she could find him.
Waiting was not one of her strong suits and after a few minutes Joey began to get impatient. Scanning over the hundreds of people filing down to the baggage claim, Joey tried to scout out all the young, blonde-haired males, but she was unable to find anyone that looked like Dawson. Checking her phone, she sighed, wondering if he missed the flight. No he would have called if that happened, she reassured herself. Looking at her watch and then scanning the crowd again, she finally noticed someone smoothly maneuvering his way through the crowded escalators, anxious to get to the bottom. Feeling her heart rate increase, Joey moved to get a closer look and felt a wide grin break out on her face, following the figure and fighting the people in front of her to get to where he was.
A few minutes later he made it to the bottom of the escalator and began scanning the crowd as well for her. Stopping a few feet away, still grinning like a child and clasping her hands together, Joey tried to call out for him, but she didn't have to. The crowd separating them began to clear and he turned and saw her, staring at her for a minute before breaking into a grin and grabbing his bag to run over to her. Never breaking eye contact as they ran to one another, he dropped his bag again when she was only an arm-width away and caught her when she jumped into his arms, burying her face in his neck and squeezing him so tight that she almost feared she would crush him. They stayed completely wrapped up in one another for a while, just holding one another until Joey pulled back and kissed him so hard that she felt the breath escape him.
"Hi," she breathed, gasping for air as well when she finally let him go, sliding out of his arms and latching onto his hand as they walked to get his bags.
"Well hi there," he said, grabbing his bag from the floor and taking deep breathes. "That was quite a welcome, I think you just might have missed me."
"Yeah well my other boyfriend went out of town a few days ago so I've been starved for attention," she laughed, wiping her lipstick off part of his lip before leaning in for another kiss.
"So he didn't mind you and me on the phone all the time? I have a feeling my cell phone bill is going to be huge this month," Dawson laughed, pulling her into his arms as they waited for the bags to arrive the carousal.
"Well then maybe you shouldn't go away like that again?" she said with a wink, tightening her grip on his waist. Breaking apart so he could grab his bag, she took one bag so they could latch onto one another as they went out to catch a cab.
"Are you tired, you must be exhausted," she said, snuggling close to him in the cab, leaving butterfly kisses on his neck.
"Yeah I'm tired, but I'm starving more than anything," he said, yawning and slipping his arm around her.
"Okay good because I just have to warm up dinner when we get back to my place and then you can just eat and relax and get some sleep tonight," she said, rubbing his arm lovingly.
"I don't have to just sleep tonight do I?" he asked mischievously.
"No you don't, but if you plan on going into the office early or at all tomorrow you should maybe reconsider your answer, just remember it's been.three weeks," she said seductively, slipping her hand to his upper thigh, feeling him jump.
"Ah well since I took the later flight the program director said I didn't have to come in tomorrow so I guess that means.I'm yours," he said, slipping his hand under her light shirt as she tried to muffle a giggle. "By the way I thought I was a decent phone sex partner."
"Eh you were okay but it's hard to talk dirty when I know you're sharing a room with someone," she said with a sly smile. "Besides I prefer the real thing."
"I think I can do that," he said, removing his hand from her shirt and holding her hand tightly, enjoying the silence between them the rest of the ride home.
"Here just throw your bags near the bed and I'll start warming up dinner," she said with a quick kiss, turning on the lights in her apartment.
"The place looks really nice, what did you do while I was gone?" he asked, looking around to notice the little changes she made.
"Oh I just added a screen so I can change in private and put up some more pictures, nothing big," she called from the kitchen-area.
"You don't need a screen honey, watching you change is part of the reason I like coming here so much," he smiled, hearing her laugh.
"Well maybe I'll just leave it up when you're not around then," she said with a raised eyebrow, sending a chill down his spine.
"Hey Joey don't you think it's kind of dumb for us to have to separate apartments when we're together all the time?" Dawson asked nervously, slowly making his way back to the kitchen-area. Joey paused for a minute, partially in shock because she had been thinking the same thing while he was gone.
"Yeah I guess it's dumb and kind of a waste of money," she said, taking the re-heated food out of the oven.
"So.how would you feel.and you don't have to answer now.just something to think about.maybe you.me living together?" Dawson asked, stuttering out the last words.
"Like you.me.one apartment living together?" she asked, looking at the nervous expression in his eye.
"Yeah you know give it a try," he said, shoving food in his mouth. He couldn't read the expression on her face, but he knew it was a cross between confused and surprised. "You know just think about it and then we can talk about it at a later time." So they changed the subject quickly as Dawson told her all about the final screening in Oregon the night before. As much as they tried to talk about something else though, the Dawson's question lingered in Joey's mind. When dinner was done he helped her clear the table and then snuggled in together on the couch to watch some TV before they went to bed.
"So did you bring me something back besides you in one piece?" she asked with a smile, grabbing a blanket to wrap around them.
"Oh you think you got a gift? Yeah sorry I bought my other girlfriend one instead," he smiled, wrapping the blanket around his body and then welcoming her into the embrace.
"Other girlfriend? Why does she get something and I don't," Joey pouted playfully, kissing his jaw softly.
"Well she plays hard to get and you.I'm sorry Joey I love you but you're.well a sure thing," he said, looking down at her shocked expression.
"Hmm well thank goodness I taped Katie Couric for you this morning because she's the only person you'll be talking dirty to tonight," she huffed, trying to pull out of his embrace.
"Oh wait I think I did find something for you while we were in California, let me check," he said, slipping off the couch and running over to his bag. Wrapped in the blanket and waiting for him, Joey noticed his mood changed slightly as he returned, holding a small box.
"For me?" she said playfully, noticing his nervous grin as he handed her over the box and rejoined her on the couch. She slowly opened the box and found a black velvet draw-string bag waiting inside, causing her to stop and look at him, wondering if it was she thought it might be. Seeing him give her a gentle nod, she opened the bag and found a gold band with several semi-precious gems on the top.
"Dawson this is so beautiful but it's too much," she gasped, stunned by the beauty of the ring. "But marriage.are we ready?"
"It's not an engagement ring Joey.it's a promise ring," he said, moving closer and removing the band from the box. "The stones are our birthstones lined up next to one another, just like I'm always right beside you through everything and inside I had something engraved."
"My promise of love to you.always," Joey read, feeling tears start in her eyes.
"This is my promise to you, my promise to be your boyfriend, lover, best friend and soul mate always and no matter what," Dawson said, slipping the ring gently on her ring finger. "And it's a promise that one day, when we're really ready that I'll give you a real engagement ring and ask you to marry me."
"So it's a pre-engagement ring?" Joey asked, still staring at it on her finger.
"Yes," he said, pulling her into a deep kiss and hug. Overcome with emotion, Joey didn't let him go, making the kiss become more passionate, pushing him back on the couch so she half-laid on top of him.
"I thought about your idea earlier and I think we should move in together," she breathed, gasping for air again after that kiss.
"Here?" he asked, looking around.
"Here, your place or we could find something of our own, just for us, a new start together," she said, kissing his jaw and behind his ear, eliciting a groan from his mouth.
"Are you sure?" he asked, getting lost in her kisses and touch.
"Yes, are you?" she replied, pulling back to look him in the eye.
"Yes," he breathed, pushing her hair behind her ears.
"Good film boy because.I love you.a lot and I want us to be together," she said, getting a bit emotional.
"Good because I'd never let you go, not again.ever," he said, pulling her in for another kiss before picking her up and carrying her over to the bed.
The next morning they started looking for apartments and within a month they moved in to a one-bedroom apartment in Chelsea together. They lived happy there for several years, but it only took Dawson another six months before he proposed to Joey, in a carriage in Central Park, right after dinner at the Rainbow Room. Another year later they married and continued to live happily where they were, until a bigger place was needed because Joey was about to give birth to their first son Elliot Jason Leery. More years and another child followed but Dawson's promise to her, symbolized by that ring was never broken and her silent promise to be the same to him never did either.
The End
