*Sunday Late Morning*
"Pacey?" Bessie answers the door, confused.
"Hey, Bess. Your sister up yet?"
"Actually, she is not. How late did you keep her out?" She asked, stepping aside to let the younger man inside.
"It's not his fault, Bess." Joey offered, emerging from behind both from another room.
Baby Alexander started to cry and Bessie runs off, leaving Pacey and Joey alone together.
He holds out a thermos towards her.
"What's that?" She asked, quizzically.
"Should help with the hangover. My father swears by it." He offers.
She moves out of the way to let him in and he shuts the door behind her. He follows her into the kitchen where she is pouring the contents of the container into a glass. She looks at it questionably but takes a sip.
"UGH!" She offers.
"I should have warned you." He offered, laughing slightly.
"Please tell me I did not make a complete and utter fool of myself at the party."
"I wouldn't say COMPLETE and utter fool." He offered, getting her to smile.
She hesitated and then took another sip. She noticed Pacey watching her and put the glass down.
"I did something stupid. Didn't I? Is that why you are looking at me like that?"
He smiled and said nothing.
"Pacey!" She insisted, sitting down beside him. Her eyes pleaded with him and he suddenly got a daring idea. He could not resist.
"Maybe this will jog your memory, Potter." He whispered huskily and then pulled her towards him and their lips met in a passionate kiss.
After a little while, Joey pushed him away, "Pacey!"
"You're right, that stuff does taste bad." He offered, and then smiled.
She hit him playfully, "What was that for?"
"Just thought I'd remind you of your activities last night." He offered, feigning innocence.
She jumped up from her seat, "I kissed you?"
He joked, "Oh yeah . . . I brought you back here after our drunken night of naked face sucking . . ." He offered, shocking her into complete silence.
He joked again, "We made a little video of our own at the ruins."
He raised an eyebrow as her face flushed red. Then she suddenly realized he was just joking.
"Pacey!" She said, hitting him playfully but a little harder than the last time.
He scoffed, "Hey! You are the one that kissed me."
"Oh . . ."
"Don't make it sound like it was the end of the world, Potter." He offered.
"Pacey, I'm sorry . . ."
He stood up and closed some of the distance between them, "I'm not complaining, Joe."
She looked over at him and saw that he was serious.
"If you hadn't been drunk, I would have kissed you." He offered, meeting her eyes.
When she said nothing, he continued, "I went over to the Icehouse yesterday with the intent of asking you out. But I chickened out the last minute. And while you were sober, I attempted to make some sort of conversation but you weren't interested."
"Pacey, I . . ." She started, but he put a single finger on her lips.
"Shh . . . Then I saw you with Dawson and gave up on any idea of you ever considering to go out with me. But last night you kissed me, Joe, and sober or not, I take that as a sign."
She nervously bit her lip and his eyes focused on them. Her lips were still slightly swollen from his kiss.
He continued, "No pressure, Joey. I just want you to consider it. You tell me when you have thought it through."
He turned and started towards the door, leaving her with a lot to think about.
~*~*~*~
Dawson had to return Joey's boat anyway, so he made that his excuse for coming over so early. However, that was hardly the reason. He knocked on the door and waited.
Bessie answered, "Wow, Joey is a social butterfly this morning."
He looked at her quizzically but did not ask her about her comment. She stepped out of the way to let him in. He followed her into the kitchen.
"She's in the shower, using up all the hot water." Bessie started and then motioned towards the coffee maker, "Want some?"
"No thanks." He replied, sitting down.
"Bess, have you used my brush . . ." Joey asked, coming into the room clad in a towel, and stopped when she noticed Dawson.
She blushed, "Dawson."
He smiled, "Joey."
Bessie interrupted the awkward moment, "Don't be so shy, Joe. He's seen you in that thing you call a bathing suit, which is much smaller than that towel. You're too modest."
Dawson said nothing.
Bessie continued, "Your brush is on the dresser."
Joey left the room to get dressed. She returned a few minutes later, fully clothed. She poured herself some more of Pacey's home brew and sat down across from Dawson.
"What are you drinking?" He asked, curiously, seeing the mysteriously colored liquid.
"I'm clueless as to what's in it. What I can tell you is that it tastes like foot odor." She offered, "It's to fight the horrible hangover I have."
He whispered low, "Did Bessie mix that up for you?"
"Oh, no." Joey replied.
For some reason she did not want Dawson to know that Pacey had been over. She knew that once he found out about this information he would be curious as to what had happened to prompt such an early morning visit. And finally, he would ask her to spill the details. If she told him the truth, she threatened their relationship. If she lied, he would see right through it, and be wary of trusting her. She cleverly tried to change the subject, "So, what's the dilemma that has you over here so early?"
He smiled, "Jen and I, well, we broke up."
Joey took a sip from her drink and almost gagged, "OH."
"But something she said got me thinking, actually . . . and I don't want you to think that this is in the category of a rebound or anything, but, would you like to go out, like, on a date, sometime?"
Joey froze. Dawson had expected such a reaction.
"Okay, I can tell this is a surprise but I've been thinking and . . ."
"Dawson," She interrupted, "Save your breath."
He stopped talking, which took a lot of effort.
"I have to be at the Icehouse until four. I need to be there in ten minutes. I don't have time for this right now." She offered, nervously, and ran form the room.
He sighed and let his head fall into his hands. This was exactly what he had been afraid of, putting his friendship with Joey on the line. What if he had misunderstood her feelings for him? What if she wanted nothing more then friendship from him? Did he just jeopardize everything?
~*~*~*~
The truth was, she did not have to work at all today. She just needed time to think. Normally she would run to Dawson's house. But not with this. Mrs. Leery had often been a confidant for Joey, but obviously her judgment might be biased. She could not admit to Bessie that she had been drinking last night, which automatically disqualified her other confidant. Who could she talk to?
Only one person came to mind, but she really did not want to see her. But she realized she had no choice in the matter.
She ran to the Lindly house and knocked on the door. Much to her dismay, Mrs. Ryan opened the door. The older woman looked her over distastefully but she ignored it.
"Hello, Mrs. Ryan. Is Jen home?"
The older woman glanced over her distastefully and then turned towards the stairs.
"Jennifer!" She called up the stairs.
Jen came running down but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Joey at the door. Her grandmother left them alone in the foyer.
"Joey . . ." Jen started.
"Before you say anything, you are the one that has been trying to get me to do the whole 'friends' thing. And despite my best efforts to avoid this, I need a friend. A friend whom is not Dawson or Pacey. That leaves you. So, can we try this 'friends' thing out or should I go somewhere else?"
Jen knew it was bad if Joey was there. And she had a pretty good idea about what this conversation was all about.
They walked into the living room and sat down. Joey was silent so Jen began.
"My guess is that it has something to do with Dawson and Pacey?"
Joey sighed, "Yesterday I was just Joey Potter, friend of Dawson Leery and Pacey Witter. I was content with that, mind you. And I wake up this morning and I am Joey Potter, previously friends with the two men proposing dates."
"Ahh . . ." Jen understood immediately and put her thoughts of Dawson aside.
Jen continued, "So, spill."
"Well on the one hand there is Dawson. He's my best friend. Whenever I have needed anything he was there without question. But he lives in this dream world in his head and often forgets that life isn't perfect and at times won't step off his high horse long enough to listen. And on the other hand there is Pacey, whom has been my nemesis up until recently. And he does not live in a dream world, he knows that life is not some fairytale. But Dawson is my rock and Pacey is . . ."
"Is . . ." Jen asked.
Joey sighed, "I give up. If I pick one, I hurt the other. And I don't want to hurt either of them."
Jen offered, "Joey, they're teenage boys. They will get over it. What you need to ask yourself is which guy is the one that gives you butterflies? Which one makes you nervous and excited at the same time? Which one can make you smile when you feel like crying?"
Joey considered Jen's words and knew the answer to her question.
"Thanks." She stated, and then ran out of the Lindly house.
"Pacey?" Bessie answers the door, confused.
"Hey, Bess. Your sister up yet?"
"Actually, she is not. How late did you keep her out?" She asked, stepping aside to let the younger man inside.
"It's not his fault, Bess." Joey offered, emerging from behind both from another room.
Baby Alexander started to cry and Bessie runs off, leaving Pacey and Joey alone together.
He holds out a thermos towards her.
"What's that?" She asked, quizzically.
"Should help with the hangover. My father swears by it." He offers.
She moves out of the way to let him in and he shuts the door behind her. He follows her into the kitchen where she is pouring the contents of the container into a glass. She looks at it questionably but takes a sip.
"UGH!" She offers.
"I should have warned you." He offered, laughing slightly.
"Please tell me I did not make a complete and utter fool of myself at the party."
"I wouldn't say COMPLETE and utter fool." He offered, getting her to smile.
She hesitated and then took another sip. She noticed Pacey watching her and put the glass down.
"I did something stupid. Didn't I? Is that why you are looking at me like that?"
He smiled and said nothing.
"Pacey!" She insisted, sitting down beside him. Her eyes pleaded with him and he suddenly got a daring idea. He could not resist.
"Maybe this will jog your memory, Potter." He whispered huskily and then pulled her towards him and their lips met in a passionate kiss.
After a little while, Joey pushed him away, "Pacey!"
"You're right, that stuff does taste bad." He offered, and then smiled.
She hit him playfully, "What was that for?"
"Just thought I'd remind you of your activities last night." He offered, feigning innocence.
She jumped up from her seat, "I kissed you?"
He joked, "Oh yeah . . . I brought you back here after our drunken night of naked face sucking . . ." He offered, shocking her into complete silence.
He joked again, "We made a little video of our own at the ruins."
He raised an eyebrow as her face flushed red. Then she suddenly realized he was just joking.
"Pacey!" She said, hitting him playfully but a little harder than the last time.
He scoffed, "Hey! You are the one that kissed me."
"Oh . . ."
"Don't make it sound like it was the end of the world, Potter." He offered.
"Pacey, I'm sorry . . ."
He stood up and closed some of the distance between them, "I'm not complaining, Joe."
She looked over at him and saw that he was serious.
"If you hadn't been drunk, I would have kissed you." He offered, meeting her eyes.
When she said nothing, he continued, "I went over to the Icehouse yesterday with the intent of asking you out. But I chickened out the last minute. And while you were sober, I attempted to make some sort of conversation but you weren't interested."
"Pacey, I . . ." She started, but he put a single finger on her lips.
"Shh . . . Then I saw you with Dawson and gave up on any idea of you ever considering to go out with me. But last night you kissed me, Joe, and sober or not, I take that as a sign."
She nervously bit her lip and his eyes focused on them. Her lips were still slightly swollen from his kiss.
He continued, "No pressure, Joey. I just want you to consider it. You tell me when you have thought it through."
He turned and started towards the door, leaving her with a lot to think about.
~*~*~*~
Dawson had to return Joey's boat anyway, so he made that his excuse for coming over so early. However, that was hardly the reason. He knocked on the door and waited.
Bessie answered, "Wow, Joey is a social butterfly this morning."
He looked at her quizzically but did not ask her about her comment. She stepped out of the way to let him in. He followed her into the kitchen.
"She's in the shower, using up all the hot water." Bessie started and then motioned towards the coffee maker, "Want some?"
"No thanks." He replied, sitting down.
"Bess, have you used my brush . . ." Joey asked, coming into the room clad in a towel, and stopped when she noticed Dawson.
She blushed, "Dawson."
He smiled, "Joey."
Bessie interrupted the awkward moment, "Don't be so shy, Joe. He's seen you in that thing you call a bathing suit, which is much smaller than that towel. You're too modest."
Dawson said nothing.
Bessie continued, "Your brush is on the dresser."
Joey left the room to get dressed. She returned a few minutes later, fully clothed. She poured herself some more of Pacey's home brew and sat down across from Dawson.
"What are you drinking?" He asked, curiously, seeing the mysteriously colored liquid.
"I'm clueless as to what's in it. What I can tell you is that it tastes like foot odor." She offered, "It's to fight the horrible hangover I have."
He whispered low, "Did Bessie mix that up for you?"
"Oh, no." Joey replied.
For some reason she did not want Dawson to know that Pacey had been over. She knew that once he found out about this information he would be curious as to what had happened to prompt such an early morning visit. And finally, he would ask her to spill the details. If she told him the truth, she threatened their relationship. If she lied, he would see right through it, and be wary of trusting her. She cleverly tried to change the subject, "So, what's the dilemma that has you over here so early?"
He smiled, "Jen and I, well, we broke up."
Joey took a sip from her drink and almost gagged, "OH."
"But something she said got me thinking, actually . . . and I don't want you to think that this is in the category of a rebound or anything, but, would you like to go out, like, on a date, sometime?"
Joey froze. Dawson had expected such a reaction.
"Okay, I can tell this is a surprise but I've been thinking and . . ."
"Dawson," She interrupted, "Save your breath."
He stopped talking, which took a lot of effort.
"I have to be at the Icehouse until four. I need to be there in ten minutes. I don't have time for this right now." She offered, nervously, and ran form the room.
He sighed and let his head fall into his hands. This was exactly what he had been afraid of, putting his friendship with Joey on the line. What if he had misunderstood her feelings for him? What if she wanted nothing more then friendship from him? Did he just jeopardize everything?
~*~*~*~
The truth was, she did not have to work at all today. She just needed time to think. Normally she would run to Dawson's house. But not with this. Mrs. Leery had often been a confidant for Joey, but obviously her judgment might be biased. She could not admit to Bessie that she had been drinking last night, which automatically disqualified her other confidant. Who could she talk to?
Only one person came to mind, but she really did not want to see her. But she realized she had no choice in the matter.
She ran to the Lindly house and knocked on the door. Much to her dismay, Mrs. Ryan opened the door. The older woman looked her over distastefully but she ignored it.
"Hello, Mrs. Ryan. Is Jen home?"
The older woman glanced over her distastefully and then turned towards the stairs.
"Jennifer!" She called up the stairs.
Jen came running down but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Joey at the door. Her grandmother left them alone in the foyer.
"Joey . . ." Jen started.
"Before you say anything, you are the one that has been trying to get me to do the whole 'friends' thing. And despite my best efforts to avoid this, I need a friend. A friend whom is not Dawson or Pacey. That leaves you. So, can we try this 'friends' thing out or should I go somewhere else?"
Jen knew it was bad if Joey was there. And she had a pretty good idea about what this conversation was all about.
They walked into the living room and sat down. Joey was silent so Jen began.
"My guess is that it has something to do with Dawson and Pacey?"
Joey sighed, "Yesterday I was just Joey Potter, friend of Dawson Leery and Pacey Witter. I was content with that, mind you. And I wake up this morning and I am Joey Potter, previously friends with the two men proposing dates."
"Ahh . . ." Jen understood immediately and put her thoughts of Dawson aside.
Jen continued, "So, spill."
"Well on the one hand there is Dawson. He's my best friend. Whenever I have needed anything he was there without question. But he lives in this dream world in his head and often forgets that life isn't perfect and at times won't step off his high horse long enough to listen. And on the other hand there is Pacey, whom has been my nemesis up until recently. And he does not live in a dream world, he knows that life is not some fairytale. But Dawson is my rock and Pacey is . . ."
"Is . . ." Jen asked.
Joey sighed, "I give up. If I pick one, I hurt the other. And I don't want to hurt either of them."
Jen offered, "Joey, they're teenage boys. They will get over it. What you need to ask yourself is which guy is the one that gives you butterflies? Which one makes you nervous and excited at the same time? Which one can make you smile when you feel like crying?"
Joey considered Jen's words and knew the answer to her question.
"Thanks." She stated, and then ran out of the Lindly house.