Title: Coming Out To Capeside

Summary: Jack's brother Tim never died, and his mother never went crazy. And still, he has to deal with the pressure of coming out to all of Capeside. Strong friendships ensue along the way.

Author: The infamous Yelak

Disclaimer: I own everyone and everything except the people and plots and objects in this story.

Lovely Reviewers:

damien455 - Thank ya very much! So you're a PaceyAndie shipper, huh? Well, you'll enjoy this then.

WiccanWillow23 - Thank you very much! And yes, you're guess was correct. Which one? Well, read about three sentences down and find out!

Cassie - I'm not a huge PaceyAndie fan, but I guess they were kind of cute together.

A/N: -Pant- Sorry this took so long. I've been working on The Love Inside, but I love both of these stories. (The ideas, not how they're written.) I just love working on them, I guess. Anyway, this story isn't pulling in nearly as many reviews as the other, so feel free to tell me if it completely sucks. Thanks! Oh, and enjoy the chapter.

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"Abby Morgan," Dawson said, looking less than thrilled at the girl standing in the doorway of the restaurant. He smiled faintly at Jennifer Lindley, the blonde standing behind Abby.

"Ooh, who is this charming boy?" Abby smirked, with a flirtatious wink at Jack as she crossed over to their table. Jack's face reddened slightly.

"Jack McPhee," Jack told her quickly, "and this is my sister Andie." She not-at-all-discreetly glanced up and down him, and then nodded.

"Abby Morgan."

"Capeside's resident devil," Pacey threw in an audible mutter that everyone caught. Fixating her eyes on him, Abby glared icily. Jack tried his best not to snort.

"You know," she said, returning her gaze to Jack, "if you ever need to hit the party scene - yes, there is a party scene in Capeside - look me up." She winked and Jack looked around with an odd look on his face.

"Right. Thanks." He looked over at the blonde he didn't know by name and smiled slightly. For some reason, she looked really nice. Someone who knew how to have fun. Jack vowed to introduce himself to her later. But he didn't have to.

"I'm Jen Lindley," she said, shaking Jack's hand. They shared a smile.

"Anyway, we're off to the more interesting people of Capeside. Have fun. See you Friday, Dawson." Andie gave them all a slight wave, a seducing grin and then left. Jen also smiled again at Jack before following her.

"That was . . . interesting," Andie said, as they watched them leave.

"Do I sense a crush developing on Miss Lindley, Jack?" Pacey grinned, and Jack's stomach somersaulted, face coloring itself red.

"No," he replied hastily, staring at the table. What the heck is wrong with me?! I can't even look at him . . . Jack thought, which he didn't think of as a very good thought. Because Jack's eyes were down and everyone else was smirking at the blushing boy, no one caught Joey frowning. Which was good for her.

"Well, anyway. She's taken by this bible-humping guy named Ty," Dawson intervened, a finger raised to further explain his point.

"So, Andie." Jack lifted his head again; Pacey was speaking. "Doing anything tomorrow night?" Something that felt like a hot lump of coal struck Jack's heart, for reasons he couldn't figure out. He angrily pushed the idea away.

"Not yet," Andie replied with a smile.

"Good. So, what do you think, Jack? Do I have permission to ask your sister out on a date?" He grinned and looked to Jack, who tried to conceal his frown.

"Yeah, sure," Jack replied lightly, with an inward sigh.

"Great. Let's say eight, then?"

"Perfect."

---

Jack and Andie didn't return home until sometime later that night, each in some high mood. They now had friends, it seemed, and plans for the weekend. And Jack had a job at the Ice House. Hey, he had thought when it was offered to him, I need the money. Even though his expertise didn't really revolve around kitchen staffing, he didn't think it could be that hard. Well, he'd find out the next day, anyway.

"I'm beginning to really like it here," Andie informed Jack, once they had gotten home and went up to Jack's room.

"Yeah, me too." Hesitating, a question lingered at his lips. To ask, or not to ask. Finally, he blurted out, "So, you're really into Pacey, huh?"

"Yeah," Andie replied with a smile. Jack smiled back, despite the falseness of him smile. "So what about you?" she continued with a smirk. Jack's left eyebrow lifted questioningly.

"What about me?"

"Tell me about your major crush on Joey. Or is it Jen now?" she pried.

"I don't have a crush on Joey," he replied, face reddening. In one swift movement, he grabbed a pillow off of his bed and tossed it at her head. Laughing, she caught it and threw it back.

"You may have missed it, but she was totally checking you out."

"She's going out with Dawson," was Jack's reply, shaking his head.

"Didn't look that way by how intently she was staring at you. 'Cause, really, little bro, you're really not that interesting to look at," she sneered.

"Oh! That's how it's gonna be?!" He picked up the pillow again, and quickly brought it down on her head. Shrieking, she grabbed a pillow as defense for her own, and their little battle raged on. Not long into the fight, the door opened and they froze mid-motion, pillows raised.

Looking stern, Tim came in, hands behind his back. "You guys are making way too much noise. Do you realize how difficult it is for Dad to work? And me to go over my playbook?" he said gruffly. Andie and Jack both brought their pillows down to their sides, looking sheepish.

"Sorry," they muttered simultaneously.

Tim broke out into a grin, and his hands appeared from behind his back. Clutched in them was a pillow of his own, which he quickly swiped at Jack. The other two laughed, retrieving their own weapons and tackling Tim down onto the bed.

"Two against one, Brown," Andie giggled, hitting him in the back with his pillow; a few feathers fluttered out, and they all burst out laughing.

Later that night, Andie excused herself from the room to go study, leaving two worn-out boys chuckling on the bed.

A silence sat in the room, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. Finally, Jack spoke, in a somber yet strange voice. "Tim? Have you ever had a crush on someone you know you shouldn't be crushing on?" Another silence fell, and Jack was sure he'd said the wrong thing. He was about to change the subject when Tim finally answered.

"Yeah, sure. I guess so. Why?"

Instead of answering that question, Jack pressed on. "Who was it?"

Hesitating, Tim rolled over onto his stomach. "Well . . . I never told anyone this but . . ." He paused, and Jack eagerly waited for him to continue. "After our big game against Holmes, me 'n' the guys on the team went out. To a club, yanno. Fake ID's and everything." With a slight grin, Jack nodded. "And I started chatting up this chick. I mean, she was fine. She was hot and sweet and all that good stuff. I figured we hit it off, 'cause she asked me if I wanted to go to her car or mine. So I took her to the car and we got in. And then, she goes - and don't you ever repeat this - well, she goes, 'So it's fourty for oral.'" Jack's eyes grew huge.

"You were hitting on a hooker?!"

"Yeah, yeah. But hey, I'll never forget her." He grinned and tousled Jack's hair. "Well, I need some food." Standing up, he winked and left the room, leaving Jack deep in thoughts. So Tim did have a crush that was completely wrong. Still, it was nothing like his, was it? He hurriedly reminded himself that he did not have a crush. Just then, Tim came back into the room, concerned look on his face and a ham sandwich in his hands.

"There's something you want to tell me," he observed, sitting back down by Jack.

"What? No, there's not," he said hurriedly.

"Yes there is. You wouldn't have asked me that. Who do you have a crush on?" he continued, looking seriously at Jack. Jack's heart was beating miraculously fast; so hard and loud he was sure Tim could hear it.

"No one," he insisted, avoiding any eye contact.

"What? Just tell me. I know it's not anything like our cousin -"

"No!" Jack shouted, completely grossed out by that thought.

" - or a guy," he finished, laughing at the idea. Jack went silent.

"Of course not," he said quickly. "Now get out. I gotta study." Tim, looking suspicious, nodded slightly and left once again. Jack's heart continued to pound. Of course I don't have a crush on a guy. I'm not gay. Oh, man, that's sick. I don't have a crush on a guy. Pacey is just . . . I want to be his friend. That's all. I am not gay. He rolled over, opening his History book, though he couldn't concentrate on anything on the page.

---

They had school the next day, and time seemed to fly, until they were in Peterson's class. Walking in, Jack glanced around, but Pacey was late . . . again. He settled in his seat, and not long later Peterson stood at front of the deadly silent class.

"Good day," he said sharply, which made everyone wonder if he really meant it. "Yesterday, we talked about poetry. Well, today you're going to put that knowledge into writing of your own. Which means you will be writing a poem. I expect it to be neat, and halfway intellectual -" Pacey chose this exact moment to burst in the door. "Mr. Witter, what fine timing you have. Sit down or it will be a detention." Pacey obeyed, sitting down by Jack and giving him a half-grin. Jack grinned back.

"Anyway, as I was saying . . . oh yes. The poem will be due a week from today." He continued to explain the poem, and Jack had no idea how to complete that. He was a horrible writer; that much was for sure. Sighing, he began doodling notes in his notebook, not at all prepared for what was to come.

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A/N: All right, this chapter's up. Who else feels bad for Jack?! Aha. Anyway, PLEASE review. I don't care if you loved it, hated it, or only read the first two words.

Reviews make me completely happy. PLEEEEASE review! :-)

Coming up: Pacey and Andie get closer, Joey and Jack take the deep plunge into relationship, a friendship forms between Jack and Jen, and the whole poem thing. Read on!