This Is When It All Began...
Chapter 1
The Beginning of Everything Else
by: Jade

Disclaimer: Dawson's Creek and its characters were created by Kevin Williamson.

Author's Note: I like the thing between Pacey and Andie but due to real-life relationship compatibility between Josh and Katie, I have to admit I'm much more inclined toward a Pacey/Joey romance. Just wanted to say that I have absolutely nothing against the character of Andie and that I like her because she brings out the best in Pacey, which has been fabulously played by Josh this past season. Oh yes, I've incorporated conversation from the actual show into this series; Many thanks to Kristin, the webmistress of Dawson's Creek: The Website, for allowing me to use her transcripts as a reference. So you should know what's going on if you've ever watched Season 1.
We saw the end to Long Ago... - The story of friendship and romance now continues in this new series.

Summary: As the gang enters a new phase in life and experiences the ups-and-downs so reminiscent of high school, they re-discover themselves and the people around them.

Author's Note (in 2003): This piece of fic was started after the second season.

"I'm not going to ask you what you just said because I'm pretty sure I heard what you just said."

"I'm pregnant," she repeated, more clearly.

"Okay." Joey held on to the table for support before speaking further. "I hope you know who the father is."

Bessie let out a sign of frustration and settled back onto the couch. "Of course, I know who the father is."

"Bodie?"

She nodded.

Joey decided she'd better take a seat before she fell to the floor and hurt her head, although at this point in time, it didn't sound all that bad...

"The business just got going. I can't afford the time and money to have a kid now!"

"You should have thought of that before." Before Bessie could turn the full power of her glare on her, she apologized. "All right, I'm sorry. I know this is the last thing you need right now but Bessie?"

Bessie turned to look at her.

"What the hell were you thinking!"

Capeside, Massachusetts
1997

"For the thousandth time, I will not kiss Pacey!"

Dawson let out a frustrated sigh. "Joey, I'm not going to make the deadline if you two keep going at it like this."

"I have two words for you, Dawson. She put up one finger in front of him and said, "Number one, Script." And then she put up another. "And number two, Re-write."

"We've been through this. You don't really want to ruin my potential career, do you?" Dawson stopped in his tracks and crossed his arms. "Looks like I'm going to have to spend the whole summer convincing you I'm worthy of this sacrifice."

Joey crossed hers in response. "Get Pacey to kiss a doll. He'll be too happy to kiss anyone or anything, he's not going to know the difference."

Joey," he chided.

"Speak of the devil."

Pacey rode up to them by the sidewalk on his bicycle.

"We were just talking about you," Dawson said.

"I'm sure," he replied. Seeing Joey roll her eyes, he stuck his tongue out at her and both of them began a contest of making faces at each other.

Dawson rolled his eyes in dismay. "Why do I even bother?"

They continued to bicker all the way to school.

The rest of the school year sped by like sunlight on a winter's day. Before either of them could contemplate it, they were a summer away from high school.

It seemed though, that Dawson's troubles had already begun.

"There! You saw it, he grabbed my ass!"

Dawson moved his head from behind the camera and heaved a huge sigh. "Pacey, will you cut it out?"

Pacey, who had been grinning, attempted to stifle a laugh as he put on a straight face for the benefit of the director. "Look, Steven may have turned into an ugly sea monster, but he still knows a female when he sees one."

In reply, Joey glared at him.

"Okay, I take it back. This one is no girl."

Joey glared even harder and this time, she slapped him on the arm.

"Hey!" He lifted his hand to rub his arm as his skin began to turn red. "This is clearly abuse!"

Dawson was beginning to feel the world's biggest headache coming on. "Will you guys please act your age and not your shoe size?" He shook his head in despair. "Change of plans. I think we should just film the other scenes first and leave this one alone for the moment."

Pacey gave him the thumbs-up. "Good idea. It'll save me from a fate worse than death." He plastered a phony smile on his face and scooted a distance away from his co-star before she could hit him again. "I have to go, Dawson. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, he was gone.

"Did I even say we were done?" he wondered out loud.

Joey bent to pick up the props as Dawson tidied up the equipment.

"Staying for dinner?" he asked.

"Yeah, why not? Bessie's stomach is starting to get too big for the kitchen anyway so Bodie's taking her out for a romantic dinner for two tonight."

"How is everything?"

"I am trying to be optimistic about the whole thing, really." She paused in her task and sat down on the boardwalk. Dawson came to sit beside her.

"We had a talk the other night and I know how guilty she feels for having used up almost everything Mom left us for the Icehouse and now the baby."

"Hey, I mean she has to make a living."

"Exactly. I told her that. I told her without her, I wouldn't be able to continue with school and that I'm lucky to have her support. Still, you know, she's upset and worried about college for me."

He squeezed her shoulder.

"Frankly, so am I," she said.

They sat in silence for awhile until Dawson lifted himself off the ground and reached out a hand to help her up. "I don't know about you but I'm starving."

She took his hand and jumped to her feet. "Yeah, me too," she agreed.

"You did it again, you grabbed my ass!"

"Like you even have one."

Before either of them could exchange blows, Dawson interrupted in an attempt to make them see reason.

"Guys, we're way behind schedule, all right. We got two weeks, I'm not going to make the festival."

"I'm not playing the victim," Joey insisted.

He was at his wits'end. "Hello, some cooperation."

"Hey, it's Meryl Streep's fault okay, I'm doing my best," Pacey retorted.

"Bite me," she replied.

The argument could have gone on if Pacey had not been distracted by a yellow cab pulling up then. What he saw next made him grin.

"Well, my mouth drops."

Joey followed a little behind as she watched the both of them ogling at the blonde. She rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath.

"Testosterone."

Pacey heard her and knew how annoyed Joey was and he would normally have taken the opportunity to tease her about it, if not for the more attractive task ahead.

He reached out to shake her hand as she greeted them.

Watching Dawson, he slightly raised an eyebrow as he clearly saw that the guy was more than entranced as they spoke. From the corner of his eye, he noted Joey's jealousy and couldn't help but grin at her expense.

When Jen walked away, he laughed at Dawson and Joey mimicked the latter.

Oh yes, this was going to be a long year.

He had been so determined to talk to Tamara tonight. All he got for his effort was a black eye and a painful jaw where he fell.

As he nursed his wound and his bruised ego, he watched her dejected figure walking before him.

As though she sensed he was watching her, she turned back. Crossing her arms, she waited for him to catch up with her.

"You don't have to follow me, you know."

"It's late and I promised I'll walk you to the boat." He winced as he felt a pain shoot through his head. "Ah, I insist, okay?" he said before she could protest any further.

"What were you thinking anyway? Going after a teacher like that? Have you completely lost your mind?"

"Whoa, one question at a time, all right? It still hurts when I talk."

"Witter, you are one crazy-ass idiot."

"All right, I'm not going to do it again, okay? Besides, you're not so sane yourself-" he paused as he searched for an appropriate word, "-chick. This thing with Dawson is starting to get tired and with Miss New York in the picture, you'd better get your act together."

"There's nothing to get together. Maybe you should stop exercising your imagination so much!"

"I'm not going to argue with you because my jaw feels like it's out of place. And we're here."

He waited until she got into her boat before he turned around and went on his way.

"Pacey!"

"What?"

"Do you think Dawson's going to forgive me for tonight?"

He looked at her worried expression and gave in to his responsibility as a friend to comfort her instead of torturing her.

"He will. The question is when."

She bit her lower lip.

"Maybe you should bake him an apple pie." He waved good-bye as he set on home.

Joey sat in the boat, pondering for a moment before she turned on the motor and left.


To be continued…
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