*Saturday Late Morning*
" You know, I really did want to let you know, Dawson, how much I appreciate your generosity and giving him a place to crash and everything." Jen offers, walking hand in hand with Dawson.
" I think he's here to get you back. And all jealous boyfriend feelings aside, I want you to know that I trust you."
"I told him it's over with us. I told him everything about us. He'll soon realize that there is no chance to rekindle what we had and he'll move on."
"I don't think he's getting the message "
"Dawson, I 'm not going to lie to you. Yeah, Billy still has feelings for me. I mean, we never really got a chance to say good-bye. My parents threw me out of New York so fast; there was never any time for closure.
" I thought you wanted to make a break from all those guys who sexualized you way too young?"
" But Billy wasn't one of them. He was the only guy who ever treated me with respect. He treated me well."
Dawson decided he needed a change of subject, " We're invited to a party at Cliff Elliott's tonight and I want you to come with me. I want things to go back to normal and I want Billy gone."
" Look, I just can't send him away like that."
" Of course. He's treated you with nothing but respect. But you know what, Jen, last time I checked, so did I. And how do I get repaid? By having the guy who's had you everywhere from Battery Park to your parents' bed dumped on me as my new bunkmate."
Jen sighed, annoyed with Dawson's whining, "My feelings for you haven't changed, Dawson, can't you see that?"
"Then it should be easy for you to tell Billy to leave." Dawson offered, and then walked off so she could think it over.
~*~*~*~ Pacey is alone at the counter in the video store. He is lounging in chair, his legs propped up on the desk. Some Jackie Chan movie is playing on the screen but he is lost in thought and is not paying much attention to the film. His trance is interrupted when the bell above the door jingles.
Joey walks up the counter looking very tired.
"Trouble sleeping, Potter?" He asks, knowing all too well that it was just the problem.
"Look, I need to rent the English Patient."
" May I suggest to you a movie that doesn't completely blow? It is a waste of your time, Potter. Although, with your lacking social calendar . . ."
Joey interrupted, "It was on cable last night and it put the baby to sleep. In fact, it's the only thing that's put baby to sleep, because baby never sleeps. And if baby doesn't sleep, I don't sleep. If I don't sleep, I get angry. I get irritable and I can no longer maintain my sunny deposition. So, Pacey, if you even have the slightest bit of human decency, you'd rent this movie to me immediately and bring 181 minutes of peace into my otherwise wretched life. Please?"
Her little speech tugs on his heartstrings, "You've convinced me, Potter. I guess somewhere in me I do have one decent bone."
"Thanks, Pace." She offers, genuinely.
Pacey types something in on the computer and then goes into the back and returns a moment alter with the video in hand.
" Alright Potter, but in my professional opinion, you don't need a video store. You need a pharmacy."
He hands her the video and a slight smile brushes her lips, "Another sleepless night and it just might come to that."
"Why not just crash at Dawson's?" He asked, confused.
" Jen's ex has become Dawson's house guest. And as appealing as he might be, I don't like the idea of him seeing me drool."
Pacey answers sarcastically" Oh, he's a classy guy, Joe. Who knows, it might turn him on."
He raised an eyebrow but she ignored him.
"Again, I would offer you a nights' lodging at the Witter house of horrors, but I would not even put my worst enemy through that torture." He offered.
"I was actually considering your offer from yesterday . . ."
"Oh, yeah?" He asked, surprised.
"Alex was screaming and wailing at two AM and I swear Bess and Bodie, all good intentions aside, are deaf. My plan was to flee into the night and head for your place but was unsure how your dad would react to Mike Potter's daughter staying at his house . . ."
"Joe, don't think . . ." He started.
She smiles, knowing he means well, and then changes the subject, " You think Jen will go back to Billy? And return to her wanton New York ways?"
" You know, I really don't know, he seems more interested in you then Lindley. But if Jen did ditch Dawson for Billy the Kid, wouldn't that please a certain someone we both know?"
" Look you know me, Pacey, I'm not one to stand in the way of true love. I think she should go for it."
" Look, Joey, I've never really taken a particular interest in your life cause frankly your life has never been particularly interesting. But this guy is trouble. I know this because I myself am trouble and thus I can spot it a mile away. So, I'd stay away. And if Jen is smart, she'll do the same."
" Well, I'm intrigued, Pacey. Suddenly you seem concerned about someone besides yourself."
She put a hand to his forehead, "Feeling okay?"
He gently moved her hand away from his head but held onto it a tad too long. He let it go when her eyes darted away from his out of nervousness. His own stomach was filled with butterflies.
"I'm serious, Joe. I know that nothing would make you happier then this guy coming between Jen and Dawson. But he is bad news, plain and simple."
Joey defended Billy," You don't know what you're talking about."
" See, the three of us have been friends too long and up until now, I've just kind of stood idly by and watched this all go down. But it's time for me to say this, Joe. You have some raging hormonal obsession for our friend Dawson and he is completely oblivious. Why torture yourself by getting your hopes up that Billy the Kid is your ticket to Dawson's heart?
" Bite me, Pacey."
"You wish, Potter. You are just upset because you know that I am speaking the Gospel truth. It's sad Joe, watching you devote your time and energy to something so trivial. It's obvious you like him, to everyone but him, I just don't want you getting hurt when you finally see him off the pedestal you've built for him."
She turns around and leaves. He sighs and hopes that she listened enough to have some of the advice sink in. Although he would never admit it, he was worried.
" You know, I really did want to let you know, Dawson, how much I appreciate your generosity and giving him a place to crash and everything." Jen offers, walking hand in hand with Dawson.
" I think he's here to get you back. And all jealous boyfriend feelings aside, I want you to know that I trust you."
"I told him it's over with us. I told him everything about us. He'll soon realize that there is no chance to rekindle what we had and he'll move on."
"I don't think he's getting the message "
"Dawson, I 'm not going to lie to you. Yeah, Billy still has feelings for me. I mean, we never really got a chance to say good-bye. My parents threw me out of New York so fast; there was never any time for closure.
" I thought you wanted to make a break from all those guys who sexualized you way too young?"
" But Billy wasn't one of them. He was the only guy who ever treated me with respect. He treated me well."
Dawson decided he needed a change of subject, " We're invited to a party at Cliff Elliott's tonight and I want you to come with me. I want things to go back to normal and I want Billy gone."
" Look, I just can't send him away like that."
" Of course. He's treated you with nothing but respect. But you know what, Jen, last time I checked, so did I. And how do I get repaid? By having the guy who's had you everywhere from Battery Park to your parents' bed dumped on me as my new bunkmate."
Jen sighed, annoyed with Dawson's whining, "My feelings for you haven't changed, Dawson, can't you see that?"
"Then it should be easy for you to tell Billy to leave." Dawson offered, and then walked off so she could think it over.
~*~*~*~ Pacey is alone at the counter in the video store. He is lounging in chair, his legs propped up on the desk. Some Jackie Chan movie is playing on the screen but he is lost in thought and is not paying much attention to the film. His trance is interrupted when the bell above the door jingles.
Joey walks up the counter looking very tired.
"Trouble sleeping, Potter?" He asks, knowing all too well that it was just the problem.
"Look, I need to rent the English Patient."
" May I suggest to you a movie that doesn't completely blow? It is a waste of your time, Potter. Although, with your lacking social calendar . . ."
Joey interrupted, "It was on cable last night and it put the baby to sleep. In fact, it's the only thing that's put baby to sleep, because baby never sleeps. And if baby doesn't sleep, I don't sleep. If I don't sleep, I get angry. I get irritable and I can no longer maintain my sunny deposition. So, Pacey, if you even have the slightest bit of human decency, you'd rent this movie to me immediately and bring 181 minutes of peace into my otherwise wretched life. Please?"
Her little speech tugs on his heartstrings, "You've convinced me, Potter. I guess somewhere in me I do have one decent bone."
"Thanks, Pace." She offers, genuinely.
Pacey types something in on the computer and then goes into the back and returns a moment alter with the video in hand.
" Alright Potter, but in my professional opinion, you don't need a video store. You need a pharmacy."
He hands her the video and a slight smile brushes her lips, "Another sleepless night and it just might come to that."
"Why not just crash at Dawson's?" He asked, confused.
" Jen's ex has become Dawson's house guest. And as appealing as he might be, I don't like the idea of him seeing me drool."
Pacey answers sarcastically" Oh, he's a classy guy, Joe. Who knows, it might turn him on."
He raised an eyebrow but she ignored him.
"Again, I would offer you a nights' lodging at the Witter house of horrors, but I would not even put my worst enemy through that torture." He offered.
"I was actually considering your offer from yesterday . . ."
"Oh, yeah?" He asked, surprised.
"Alex was screaming and wailing at two AM and I swear Bess and Bodie, all good intentions aside, are deaf. My plan was to flee into the night and head for your place but was unsure how your dad would react to Mike Potter's daughter staying at his house . . ."
"Joe, don't think . . ." He started.
She smiles, knowing he means well, and then changes the subject, " You think Jen will go back to Billy? And return to her wanton New York ways?"
" You know, I really don't know, he seems more interested in you then Lindley. But if Jen did ditch Dawson for Billy the Kid, wouldn't that please a certain someone we both know?"
" Look you know me, Pacey, I'm not one to stand in the way of true love. I think she should go for it."
" Look, Joey, I've never really taken a particular interest in your life cause frankly your life has never been particularly interesting. But this guy is trouble. I know this because I myself am trouble and thus I can spot it a mile away. So, I'd stay away. And if Jen is smart, she'll do the same."
" Well, I'm intrigued, Pacey. Suddenly you seem concerned about someone besides yourself."
She put a hand to his forehead, "Feeling okay?"
He gently moved her hand away from his head but held onto it a tad too long. He let it go when her eyes darted away from his out of nervousness. His own stomach was filled with butterflies.
"I'm serious, Joe. I know that nothing would make you happier then this guy coming between Jen and Dawson. But he is bad news, plain and simple."
Joey defended Billy," You don't know what you're talking about."
" See, the three of us have been friends too long and up until now, I've just kind of stood idly by and watched this all go down. But it's time for me to say this, Joe. You have some raging hormonal obsession for our friend Dawson and he is completely oblivious. Why torture yourself by getting your hopes up that Billy the Kid is your ticket to Dawson's heart?
" Bite me, Pacey."
"You wish, Potter. You are just upset because you know that I am speaking the Gospel truth. It's sad Joe, watching you devote your time and energy to something so trivial. It's obvious you like him, to everyone but him, I just don't want you getting hurt when you finally see him off the pedestal you've built for him."
She turns around and leaves. He sighs and hopes that she listened enough to have some of the advice sink in. Although he would never admit it, he was worried.